Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.22.28
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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ādiṣṭāḥ
—
instructed
Past participle of ā-√diś. He has now formally instructed them — the vrata is sealed by a guru-vacana. From this point the gopīs hold His command as the rule of their life.
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labdha-kāmāḥ
—
having obtained their desire
Compound: labdha (obtained) + kāma (desire). Their kāma — purified kāma — has been fulfilled. The whole arc from verse 4's patim me kuru to verse 28's labdha-kāmāḥ traces the gopīs' siddhi.
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pada-ambhojam
—
upon the lotus feet
Compound: pada (foot) + ambhoja (lotus, born of water). The Gauḍīya object of meditation par excellence. The pāda-sparśa they secretly wanted (verse 24) they now possess in dhyāna; outward separation, inward presence.
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kṛcchrāt
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with difficulty
Ablative of kṛcchra (difficulty, hardship). The body resists what the bhāva would refuse — to walk away from Him. Gauḍīya tattva: separation begins the moment of union; viraha is the underside of saṅga even at its first taste.
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dhyāyantyaḥ
—
meditating
Present participle feminine plural of √dhyai. Smaraṇa-dhyāna, the second limb of bhakti, is now operative without effort — His feet are now the involuntary content of their thought. The vrata's discipline has become the heart's habit.
The gopīs’ desire was fulfilled because Lord Kṛṣṇa had agreed to act as their husband. A young girl can never spend the night with any man except her husband, and thus when Kṛṣṇa agreed to engage the girls in the nocturnal rāsa dance during the coming autumn season, in effect He was agreeing to reciprocate their love for Him in the role of a husband.
The gopis returned with great difficulty to Vraja, because Krsna had already stolen their hearts, eyes and other senses.
Having been instructed to return to Vraja, having their desires fulfilled, forgetting about Kātyāyanī and performing vows for her because of their intense bliss, they entered Vraja with sorrow. Why? They meditated on his lotus feet, and did not directly see them. They were filled with sorrow because of separation from him. They particularly had reverence for him as their husband and thus his feet are described as lotus feet. Or, being shy, they bowed their heads and standing before him, only saw his feet. Thus this is what they remembered. Without speaking they entered Vraja (nir—vivisuḥ) since they no longer intended to go the Yamunā for vows.
They, who had their desire fulfilled (labdha-kāmāḥ) (most being of a similar nature), were instructed by the Lord, who revealed his essential qualities as bhagavān (bhagavatā) by indicating the ṛāsa dance, to return to Vraja, since they received the order from he who tells the truth. But they entered Vraja in sorrow. Why? They meditated on his lotus feet but could not see them directly. They were pained in separation. Without speaking they entered Vraja (nir—vivisuḥ) since they no longer intended to go the Yamunā for vows. Though they had worshipped Kātyāyaṇī by Kṛṣṇa’s boon, they considered their desire fulfilled. They were not aware of a lapse in their vow because of the influence of his powers. That is hinted by the word bhagavatā. Or the phrase can be alabdha-kāmāḥ: not having their desire for the rāsa dance fulfilled immediately they suffered, because they were young girls (kumārikāh), not yet of suitable age for the dance. By the merciful power of the Lord however, even when they are young they can become qualified, being females of Vraja. “But then why did they enter Vraja?” They became peaceful by meditating on his lotus feet, flowing with the highest bliss to destroy any suffering. Or they meditated on his feet as the means to attain his pastimes.
- What recent meeting with the Lord am I struggling to leave but actively meditating on as I walk back to ordinary life?
- Where am I trying to leave Him too cleanly behind?
Pilgrims who have received the audience they fasted a month for, walking back to their village with feet that no longer want to walk forward — every step away from the kadamba tree is also a step closer to the night He has named. Their bodies go to Vraja; their dhyāna stays at His feet.
My note
Source: vedabase.io