Canto 10: The Summum Bonum
SB10.21

Canto 10 · Chapter 21 · 20 verses · 1 story

The Gopīs Glorify the Song of Kṛṣṇa’s Flute

The gopīs glorify Kṛṣṇa’s flute and describe its wonderful effect on Vṛndāvana’s creatures.

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From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

Connected storiesGovardhana Hill
Who is speakingSūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitEvery voice in this chapter ›

What this chapter speaks about · the ten subjects

Chapter summary

This chapter describes how Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa entered the enchanting forest of Vṛndāvana upon the arrival of autumn, and the praises the young cowherd girls sang when they heard the vibration of His flute.

As Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Balarāma and Their cowherd friends entered the forest to graze the cows, Kṛṣṇa began playing His flute. The gopīs heard the enchanting flute-song and understood that Kṛṣṇa was entering the forest. Then they narrated to each other the Lord’s various activities.

The gopīs declared — “To see Lord Kṛṣṇa playing His flute while taking the cows to pasture is the highest perfection for the eyes. What pious activities has this flute performed that enable him to freely drink the nectar of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lips — a blessing we cowherd girls find difficult to achieve? Hearing the song of Kṛṣṇa’s flute, the peacocks dance, and all the other creatures become stunned when they see them. Demigoddesses traveling through the sky in their airplanes are vexed by Cupid, and their garments become loose. The ears of the cows stand on end as they drink the nectar of this flute-song, and their calves simply stand stunned, the milk they have been drinking from their mothers’ udders still in their mouths. The birds take shelter of the branches of the trees and close their eyes, listening to the song of Kṛṣṇa’s flute with rapt attention. The flowing rivers become perturbed by conjugal attraction for Kṛṣṇa and, stopping their flow, embrace Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet with the arms of their waves, while the clouds serve as parasols to shade Kṛṣṇa’s head from the hot sun. The aborigine women of the Śabara race, seeing the grass stained by the red kuṅkuma adorning the Lord’s lotus feet, smear this vermilion powder upon their breasts and faces to alleviate the distress created by Cupid. Govardhana Hill offers grass and various kinds of fruits and bulbous roots in worship of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. All the nonmoving living beings take on the characteristics of moving creatures, and the moving living beings become stationary. These things are all very wonderful.”

In this chapter

Who · Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, the gopīs, Kātyāyanī

The story · As autumn beautified Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇa entered the forest with Balarāma, His friends, and the cows. Hearing His flute, the gopīs praised the good fortune of the creatures who could see and hear Him. During the first month of winter, the unmarried gopīs worshiped Kātyāyanī, desiring Kṛṣṇa as their husband. One day Kṛṣṇa took their garments from the riverbank and playfully called them out of the water. Knowing their purpose, He blessed their endeavor.

What it teaches · Kṛṣṇa explains that desires fixed upon Him do not produce ordinary material desire for sense gratification. The gopīs’ attention is centered upon Him.

Beyond this chapter

Connected stories across the Bhāgavatam

Stories told in other chapters that this chapter's verses or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purports bring in, the other Bhāgavatam verses the purports quote, and stories in other cantos with the same themes. Each link shows the sentence it comes from.

What it teaches · Kṛṣṇa protects His surrendered devotees and removes the false pride of those who imagine themselves independent controllers. His correction is meant for their relief.

Of all the devotees, this Govardhana Hill is the best!

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains the opulence of Govardhana Hill as follows:

Read the story in SB 10.24–27