Devanagari
श्रीभगवानुवाच
स्वागतं वो महाभागा: प्रियं किं करवाणि व: । व्रजस्यानामयं कच्चिद् ब्रूतागमनकारणम् ॥ १८ ॥
Verse text
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
svāgataṁ vo mahā-bhāgāḥ
priyaṁ kiṁ karavāṇi vaḥ
vrajasyānāmayaṁ kaccid
brūtāgamana-kāraṇam
Synonyms
śrī
—
bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said
;
su
—
āgatam — welcome
;
vaḥ
—
to you
;
mahā
—
bhāgāḥ — O most fortunate ladies
;
priyam
—
pleasing
;
kim
—
what
;
karavāṇi
—
may I do
;
vaḥ
—
for you
;
vrajasya
—
of Vraja
;
anāmayam
—
the well-being
;
kaccit
—
whether
;
brūta
—
please tell
;
āgamana
—
for your coming
;
kāraṇam
—
the reason .
Translation
Lord Kṛṣṇa said: O most fortunate ladies, welcome. What may I do to please you? Is everything well in Vraja? Please tell Me the reason for your coming here.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Lord Kṛṣṇa said: O most fortunate ladies, welcome. What may I do to please you? Is everything well in Vraja? Please tell Me the reason for your coming here.
KB 10.29.18
“O ladies of Vṛndāvana,” Kṛṣṇa said, “you are very fortunate, and you are very dear to Me. I am very much pleased that you have come here, and I hope everything is well in Vṛndāvana. Now please order Me. What can I do for you? What is the purpose of your coming here in the dead of night? Kindly take your seats and let Me know what I can do for you.”
The gopīs had come to Kṛṣṇa to enjoy His company, to dance with Him, embrace Him and kiss Him, and when Kṛṣṇa began to receive them very officially, showing all kinds of etiquette, they were surprised. He was treating them like ordinary society women. Therefore they began to smile among themselves, and though they very eagerly listened to Kṛṣṇa talk in that way, they were surprised.
Purport
Lord Kṛṣṇa knew perfectly well why the
gopīs
had come. In fact, He had called them with the romantic melodies of His flute. So Kṛṣṇa was simply teasing the
gopīs
by asking them, “Why have you come here so quickly? Is something wrong in town? Why have you come here, anyway? What do you want?”
The
gopīs
were Kṛṣṇa’s young lovers, and therefore these questions certainly bewildered them, for they had responded to Kṛṣṇa’s call with the simple mentality of enjoying conjugal love with Him.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
In the relationship of men and women experienced in love, the usual custom is that the man shows boldness and enthusiasm and the woman shows anger and intolerance. In the beginning Krsna followed this usual pattern, by nicely welcoming the gopis. "Welcome to you! Has your coming here been pleasant? O fortunate ones (mahabhaga) since birth you have not had sad faces."
These words can also have another, less affectionate meaning. "Your coming has been splendid because everything is accomplished. For fortunate souls like you, all acts are already fulfilled, giving pleasure to yourselves and others. So therefore what can I do for you? As I am just a young boy alone in the forest at night, you should say very clearly what intimate things you want me to do, and how I can show you young women hospitality."
"O teaser, bold one, if you can so impudently speak before us married women, then it appears that you have no fear of religiousity or the king." This is the expected answer they would give, but if the gopis out of embarrassment because of his suggestions remained silent, then Krsna would consider. "If the gopis do not show the normal anger and unwillingness, I also do not need to show the normal eagerness. Better that I show unwillingness. As in union there is pleasure in the reversal of roles, so let there be reversal in meeting together also. Due to the extreme lack of control caused by hearing the flute, the gopis are acting against their nature and have become submissive. As I have not lost control, I can make a show of stubornness to increase the taste in the pastimes, and later show my true willingess and eagerness." Considering in this way Krsna took up the role of non cooperation and began to ask them with fear and concern. "Is there any disturbance from Indra in Vraja now? For previously also, you had all fled and approached me for protection."
Hearing this, the gopis, with faces both smiling and dismayed, asked, "Is he going to play the cheater again today?"
Seeing them in this state, Krsna said, "From your silence I conclude there is no disturbance. Then please tell me, why did you come? I cannot understand."
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
First he speaks politely, showing external indifference. Your coming is very auspicious. Or, have you come comfortably here? O fortunate women with husbands (mahā-bhāgāḥ)! What could I do to please you? It is not possible for me to do anything. Or, what can I do for you, please order me. By treating you married women nicely, I gain special merits in dharma. Previously he said the same thing to the brāhmaṇas’ wives with reverence. Svāgataṁ vo mahā-bhāgā āsyatāṁ karavāma kim: Welcome, O most fortunate ladies. Please sit down and make yourselves comfortable. What can I do for you? (SB 10.23.25) But he showed indifference, stating “I can do nothing.” Now however, by using the words priyaṁ kim, he indicates his own longing. On seeing them come, however, he was actually most pleased and thus welcomed them. He called them most fortunate because they came there with depending only on him alone, giving up everything else. The phrase mahā-bhāgāḥ indicates that he recognizes the greatness of their prema, on thinking of their sentiments, since he is dependent on his dear devotees. Bhāgāḥ means “worshippers” in this context. By saying priyam he indicated that he was controlled by their prema. This was natural, though he was skilful at bringing his devotees under his control since he was the crest jewel of cleverness. In this way the real meaning of his words can also be understood in later verses he speaks.
In this verse Kṛṣṇa then uses joking words. Using polite words in the beginning of his speech, he showed his qualification to speak to an assembly of people. Seeing that they had all gathered at one time with devotion, he then inquired deceptively as if being fearful and respectful. Is everything well in Vraja? “O lion of cleverness! If there were some problem the cowherds would have come here.” He then speaks arrogantly with false anxiety. “There must be some problem concerning women for some of the cowherds. Please tell me the cause or goal in your coming here.”
Or seeing them standing there without answering out of shyness, unable to understand his intentions, indicating that they did not speak because of some inauspicious lamentation that should not be heard, to change the topic he asks as if puzzled, “Is everything well in Vraja?” But it should be understood that all the worry is just a deceptive show. Seeing the gopīs not speaking and smiling, acting as if he were pacifying them, he says shyly “Please say the reason for you coming since I cannot understand it .” It was already explained that each of his words is filled with indifference and prayer. The indifferent aspect of his words was explained. The prayerful aspect will now be described. It will also be described in subsequent verses.
O most fortunate women! You are fortunate because of the moonlight, the forest, your beauty and favorable followers. In the form of questions, he step by step makes his request. Have you come here with ease? He makes his request: what actions can I perform to please you? I request to do what is most dear to your hearts. When they did not reply, he again requested gradually by saying “Is everything well in Vraja?” He again requests “Please tell me why you have come. Do not be shy.”