Devanagari
श्रवणाद् दर्शनाद्ध्यानान्मयि भावोऽनुकीर्तनात् ।
न तथा सन्निकर्षेण प्रतियात ततो गृहान् ॥ २७ ॥
Verse text
śravaṇād darśanād dhyānān
mayi bhāvo ’nukīrtanāt
na tathā sannikarṣeṇa
pratiyāta tato gṛhān
Synonyms
śravaṇāt
—
by hearing (My glories)
;
darśanāt
—
by viewing (My Deity form in the temple)
;
dhyānāt
—
by meditation
;
mayi
—
for Me
;
bhāvaḥ
—
love
;
anukīrtanāt
—
by subsequent chanting
;
na
—
not
;
tathā
—
in the same way
;
sannikarṣeṇa
—
by physical proximity
;
pratiyāta
—
please return
;
tataḥ
—
therefore
;
gṛhān
—
to your homes .
Translation
Transcendental love for Me arises by the devotional processes of hearing about Me, seeing My Deity form, meditating on Me and faithfully chanting My glories. The same result is not achieved by mere physical proximity. So please go back to your homes.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Transcendental love for Me arises by the devotional processes of hearing about Me, seeing My Deity form, meditating on Me and faithfully chanting My glories. The same result is not achieved by mere physical proximity. So please go back to your homes.
KB 10.29.27
“If you think that you are very much attached to Me and you want My association, I advise you not to personally try to enjoy Me. It is better for you to go home, simply talk about Me and think of Me, and by this process of constantly remembering Me and chanting My names you will surely be elevated to the spiritual platform. There is no need to stand near Me. Please go back home.”
The instruction given herein by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to the gopīs was not at all sarcastic. Such instructions should be taken very seriously by all honest women. The chastity of women is specifically stressed herein by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore this principle should be followed by any serious woman who wants to be elevated to a higher status of life. Kṛṣṇa is the center of all affection for all living creatures. When this affection is developed for Kṛṣṇa, one surpasses and transcends all Vedic injunctions. This was possible for the gopīs because they saw Kṛṣṇa face to face. This is not possible for any women in the conditioned state. Unfortunately, sometimes a rascal, following the philosophy of monism, or oneness, very irresponsibly takes advantage of this rāsa-līlā to imitate the behavior of Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs, entice many innocent women and mislead them in the name of spiritual realization. As a warning, Lord Kṛṣṇa has herein hinted that what was possible for the gopīs is not possible for ordinary women. Although a woman can actually be elevated by advanced Kṛṣṇa consciousness, she should not be enticed by an imposter who says that he is Kṛṣṇa. She should concentrate her devotional activities in chanting about Kṛṣṇa and meditating upon Kṛṣṇa, as is advised herein. One should not follow the men called sahajiyās, the so-called devotees who take everything very lightly.
Purport
Lord Kṛṣṇa is certainly presenting formidable arguments.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
"Why do you have such thoughts. We did not come for physical contact with you. According to Garga’s words, you are the same asNnarayana, nothing else. Knowing you as Narayana, we have come out of such devotion. Therefore, tonight, let us stay here and serve you lotus feet "
Fearing this statement, Krsna answers in this verse, "The pure devotee does not desire samipya ,salokya or other benefits, but rather desires to hear and chant. This is well known. As devotees you must have heard about his."
The other meaning is: "These processes such as hearing do not give rise to intense conjugal love as much as direct contact does. Therefore do not go home. (or go to the place with no houses, the groves.)"
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Fearing the gopīs would not give up refuting his statements, he showed indifference to hide his attraction. Association cannot be produced as much by proximity as by hearing, seeing him and meditation. By separation there is quick increase of longing; by meeting there is a weakening of that longing. Though their love had reached the highest stage, in jest, he labeled it imperfect. In pūrva-rāga first, before seeing the lover, there is hearing about him. Then one sees him. Then by not meeting him there is internal manifestation of his form (sphūrti). Then there is speaking about him. That is the order. Out of great curiosity, he speaks in this way in order to see the intensity of the prema of the gopīs who had constant, soft, love with obedience to him.
The other meaning is as follows. “You have stated that you are our real husband because of our sentiments and these others are not our husbands. That cannot be possible since you are far away and they are very close to us.” No, the special love for that arises from hearing, seeing etc. does not arise to that degree by proximity. Those whom you consider to be your husbands, who are close, are not the objects of that special love. But since people say that intimate love does not arise from hearing etc. to the same extent as intimate meeting, then do not go home. The word na is understood for both verbs. Or do not go to your homes (agṛhān). Or, the word prati can mean give an opposite meaning, in statements of forbiddance. Thus pratiyāta can mean “do not go.” Thus the conversation with the gopīs takes two forms: some of the gopīs took the direct meaning and others by great anurāga found the opposite meaning to his words.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
“O Kṛṣṇa, attained only by prema! Svadharma is just an external aṅga of prema.” Hearing and other processes should be undertaken at home. Or “O supreme person! Everything depends on your mercy. Family does not matter.” My mercy is achieved by prema for me. That is accomplished by hearing and other devotional processes, not by physical association.
Or “O friend who can bestow all objects! Attaining prema for you, no one can criticize us, since we have then achieved the highest human goal.” You should then undertake the process to attain prema. Taking a scriptural stance, he speaks logically, without affection, with intolerable indifference. One can attain perfection by all or any of the processes mentioned. That is explained in Bhāgavatāmṛta, Uttara-khaṇḍa.
One should hear topics of the Lord, see the deity form, meditate on me, and constantly chant my names.
evaṁ-vrataḥ sva-priya-nāma-kīrtyā
jātānurāgo druta-citta uccaiḥ
hasaty atho roditi rauti gāyaty
unmāda-van nṛtyati loka-bāhyaḥ
Regulated with such devotion, chanting the name of his dear Kṛṣṇa, he develops prema. His heart melts and he laughs loudly, weeps, wails and sings. He dances like a madman without regard for the public. SB 11.2.40
With the development of prema, one can then associate with the Lord. “Seeing the Lord depends on being close to him.” To reject that claim, seeing the Lord is placed in a secondary position, before kīrtana. The list is in order of increasing excellent, ending in kīrtana, which is best. First is hearing, since without that a person is in ignorance. It is said śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca: one should hear and chant. (SB 1.2.14) Thus hearing is first. Then, with a desire to see the Lord one sees the deity form. Then one meditates on that form easily. Then kīrtana spontenously arises.
Because of these processes, love for me arises. It does not arise by physical proximity to me.
Sannikarṣo hi martyānāṁ anādaraṇa-kāraṇam: for humans direct contact is a cause of disrespect.
Since it is against scriptures, or because the mind is fearful, the same result does not come. The love develops to a small extent. Or the love does not develop in the same way, but with great effort since one overrides local rules and ignores all others. Therefore give up coming close and perform hearing etc. Go home, where you can comfortable perform the practices without fear or restrictions. Actually all of this said in jest or to see the intensity of prema of these girls with simple, soft natures full of constant love.
The meaning using puns is as follows. You should always have love for me without restrictions, and not produce prema by hearing etc., since perfection is achieved direct association alone, not by hearing and chanting. Love does not develop by hearing to the extent that it develops by physical association. Because of this, go to or worship us, who have not taken wives (agṛhān).
In order to bring them under control by exhibiting great qualities, he does not mention about himself, and uses the plural (agṛhān). That is his skill. Or go to other places without houses such as the bank of the Yamunā. Or enter to my groves (gṛhān). You should always stay in these bowers, since they are houses of pastimes or they are my houses.
By the kindling of ten verses, the gopīs prema, soft by nature, expanded eagerly into a towering fire, developing all expectations.
The reversed order of the verses should be examined. Verse 27 about hearing, causing great pain, is the lower direction (below), like the flaming fire. The tip of the flame, the direction above, is verse 26, causing great fever to the head because of criticizing their aspirations. The other eight previous verses starting with verse 25 and ending with verse 18 are in the eight directions starting with east.
Or there were eleven groups, starting with those giving up milking. Eleven groups came. Among them the ten verses are directed to the different groups starting with the last in the list (those with disarrayed clothing and proceeding the first in the list (milking cows).
Thus seeing the disarray of ornaments and clothing in one group he addresses them in verse 18 by saying “Is everything well in Vraja?” The first part of the verse is to everyone. Verse 26 is also directed to all of them since it concerns them all. Verse 27 is directed to all of them, since it is an instruction on how to develop prema. Verse 19 (this night is quite frightening, and frightening creatures are lurking about) is directed to the women applying ointment to their eye since they appeared rather fierce with ointment on one eye. Verse 20 (mothers and fathers are searching for you) is directed to those who were cleaning their bodies. With concern for their bodies, they had attachment to bodily relationships. Verse 21 (Now you have seen this Vṛndāvana forest, full of flowers and resplendent with the light of the full moon) refers to the women applying cosmetics since their interest in perfumes is related to the flowers in the forest. Verse 22 (go back to the cowherd village) refers to the women eating their meals with two words tad yāta. Verse 22 (serve your husbands) refers to serving husbands. A command is given, as it is a daily duty. Verse 22 (give milk to the crying babies and calves) refers to feeding children in verse 6. They should go quickly since the children are crying. All the household duties are dependent on serving the husbands. That is the original cause of other duties. This will be explained in detail later. Verse 22 (milk the cows) refers to milking in verse 5.
To strengthen service to husbands, he speaks to all of them in verses 23-25. To prevent giving up husbands out of love of Kṛṣṇa, he talks about their love for him in verse 23, in the manner of removing a thorn with a thorn. One puts milk on the fire, cooks it and then serves it. This is comparable to serving friends, children and husbands, with serving husbands as the main duty. They are not mentioned separately as services, but are included in the order to serve the husbands since they are accepted as one. Or he talks in this way as a joke.
Being one in mind they answer as one person. The one answer applies to all of them. All Kṛṣṇa’s words are also directed in general to all of them. That was mentioned previously.