Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.16.21
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesRemembering Kṛṣṇa Together in Sorrow
“Although the elder gopīs were feeling just as much distress as she and were pouring forth a flood of sorrowful tears, they had to forcibly hold back Kṛṣṇa’s mother, whose consciousness was totally absorbed in her son. Standing like corpses, with their eyes fixed upon His face, these gopīs each took turns recounting the pastimes of the darling of Vraja.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa’s mother was totally absorbed in her son. The elder gopīs had to hold her back forcibly.
- Although they were equally distressed and shedding floods of tears, the elder gopīs continued to hold her back.
- They stood like corpses, their eyes fixed on Kṛṣṇa’s face. Each took a turn recounting the pastimes of the darling of Vraja.
Try this today
As a small act of devotional service, recount one detail from this verse to someone, or quietly to yourself.
Ask yourself
What touches you about the gopīs recounting Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes together despite their sorrow?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
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.