Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.22.5
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
-
kṛṣṇa-cetasaḥ
—
their minds absorbed in Kṛṣṇa
Compound: kṛṣṇa + cetasaḥ (mind). The decisive phrase. Outwardly the deity is Bhadrakālī; inwardly the cetas rests in Kṛṣṇa. Gauḍīyas read this as proof that bhāva is determined by the object of the mind, not by the form on the altar.
-
bhadra-kālīm
—
the goddess Kātyāyanī
Compound: bhadra (auspicious) + kālī (the dark goddess). A name of Durgā in her benign aspect. The gopīs worship her properly (samānarcuḥ) — bhakti does not insult the demigods; it places them in their proper rank.
-
nanda-sutaḥ
—
the son of King Nanda
Compound: nanda + sutaḥ (son). The petition is identical to verse 4 — only the cowherd's son will do. The whole month of austerity is just this one sentence said over and over.
-
patiḥ
—
my husband
Nominative of pati. Husband-relationship (svakīya-bhāva) is the doorway through which mādhurya can be expressed without offense. Each gopī asks for that license alone.
-
vratam
—
their vow
From √vṛ (to choose). A vrata is a sustained chosen restriction. The gopīs' vrata teaches that bhakti's path includes outward niyama — body, food, and rising-time all governed in service of the inward fixation.
They worshipped bhadra kali with the vow, "May the son of Nanda be my husband."
This verse indicates that in a short period of time, one month, their desire was fulfilled. With minds absorbed in Kṛṣṇa they worshipped Kālī, but actually they worshipped Kṛṣṇa. Later it is shown that Kṛṣṇa came to fulfill their wish. They express their determination with the words “May the son of Nanda become my husband.”
In a short period of a month their desire was fulfilled (evam). This was Margaśīṣa month, which is Kṛṣṇa’s month (BG 10.35). Since it is Kṛṣṇa’s vibhūti, it was a good time for the vrata. Bhadrakālī is the same as Maṅglacaṇḍī or Kātyāyanī. The name also shows her good qualities: she was auspicious (bhadra) and a collection (ali) of happiness (ka). They worshipped her daily, observing all the rules (sam). They thought of Kṛṣṇa who was the directly lord of all beings. In worshipping her, it is understood they worshipped Kṛṣṇa. Later it is explained the Kṛṣṇa came to fulfill their request. Or in a short time their desire would be fulfilled because their minds were purified by thinking of Kṛṣṇa, or by nature they thought of him. And as well they performed the vrata in an excellent way. This is indicated by the phrases “they worshipped her daily” and “May Kṛṣṇa be our husband.” (Thus they worshipped Kṛṣṇa.) Or someone may object, “The intelligent person should not aspire for what is difficult to obtain.” Their intelligence was concentrated on Kṛṣṇa, who attracts all minds. By doing so, they developed the highest intelligence. They were fixed in him because the pain of prema. That fixation made them fixed in their vow.
- What single concrete thought have I held faithfully for any sustained period?
- Where would I be different if I picked one thought and tended it for thirty days?
A bow held drawn for an entire month — never released, never relaxed, the arrow always pointed at one target. Kṛṣṇa-cetasaḥ: the mind itself is the bowstring, and it does not slacken even while the body eats, bathes, sleeps.
King Ambarīṣa once observed the Dvādaśī-vrata for a full year, but the famous incident with Durvāsā centered on a single month-long fast culminating in a particular Ekādaśī. Throughout, his mind was fixed on Viṣṇu — his eyes saw the Deity, his hands cleaned the temple, his speech glorified Hari (SB 9.4.18–20).
The gopīs' Kātyāyanī-vrata is the feminine, mādhurya-flavored cousin of Ambarīṣa's vrata: outward worship of a particular form, inward absorption in Kṛṣṇa alone.
My note
Source: vedabase.io