SB 10.30.24 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

एवं कृष्णं पृच्छमाना गण्दावनलतास्तरून् । व्यचक्षत वनोद्देशे पदानि परमात्मन: ॥ २४ ॥

Verse text

evaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ pṛcchamānā vrṇdāvana-latās tarūn vyacakṣata vanoddeśe padāni paramātmanaḥ

Synonyms

evam — in this manner ; kṛṣṇam — about Kṛṣṇa ; pṛcchamānāḥ — inquiring ; vṛndāvana — of the Vṛndāvana forest ; latāḥ — from the creepers ; tarūn — and the trees ; vyacakṣata — they saw ; vana — of the forest ; uddeśe — in one spot ; padāni — the footprints ; parama — ātmanaḥ — of the Supersoul .

Translation

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.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

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. KB 10.30.24 In this way all the gopīs were madly feeling the absence of Kṛṣṇa. They inquired about Him from the trees and plants. In some places they found the imprints of the marks on the soles of His feet—namely the flag, the lotus flower, the trident, the thunderbolt, etc.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

In this way the gopis searched for Krsna in forest after forest (evam), asking his whereabouts from the trees. The sancari bhava called unmada which appear in the state of separation is characterized by identity with the object of affection when it is in its most intense state of self forgetfulness. This has been described in three verses beginning with (priyah priyasya (10.30.3).and Krsnoham pasyata (sb 10.30.19). In the medium stage there is imitation of the beloved behavior with some self awareness, as in the following statement in the story of Prahlad, "kvacit tad bhavanayuktas tammayonucakara ha.7.4.40) "Sometimes, upon seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Prahlada Mahārāja would loudly call in full anxiety. He sometimes lost his shyness in jubilation and began dancing in ecstasy, and sometimes, being fully absorbed in thoughts of Krsna, he felt oneness and imitated the pastimes of the Lord." "One gopi imitated Putana, while another acted like infant Krsna and pretended to suck her breast. Another gopi, crying in imitation of infant Krsna, kicked a goip who was taking the role of the cart demon, Sakatasura." (10.30.15) In its weak state, unmada is expressed with self identity returning, and asking questions to trees and other objects.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

In enacting and singing about his pastimes repeatedly they also asked questions. They saw in one part of the forest the foot prints of the root form of all beings (paramātmanaḥ). The sages speculate about traces of him in the form of sound as indicated in the Vedas but the gopīs actually saw his foot prints in one place where he performed pastimes in the forest. All of the sages have not attained even a portion of equality with these gopīs in seeing the foot prints, what to speak of attaining a portion of their eternal conjugal love accomplished through their excellent prema. Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that first they felt pain only. Then they began searching while singing. Then they enacted his pastime of killing Pūtanā. Then they again began searching. Then they saw his foot prints. However my version is as follows. First they felt pain. Then they enacted pastimes such as his placing his arm on her shoulder. Then they began searching while singing, and while doing so enacted his pastimes such as killing Pūtanā. Then they saw his foot prints.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

Asking the creepers in this way (evam) or imitating his pastimes as described and asking the creepers, they saw footprints, because Kṛṣṇa attracted all their hearts. Falling within their sight, they saw the footprints on the ground. Previously they only thought of the footprints (SB 10.30.10). Now they directly saw them. Previously they saw the footprints but because they were bewildered by prema, it was as if they did not see them, since they did not look closely. Therefore they did not follow those footprints. Now, slightly recovering because of imitating with absorption, their intelligence arose. They now saw what they previously could not recognize. Thus the affix vi is added to indicate special seeing. They saw the footprints of he who was dearest (paramātmanaḥ). Even though it was night they could recognize his footprints by their characteristics. Or when the twilight passed and the autumn full moon rose, they could see clearly in the moonlight even to a distance. Or they simply saw the footprints while asking questions. The rest of the description is repetition.