Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.23.29
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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nṛ-śaṁsam
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harshly
Compound: nṛ (man) + śaṁsam (speech/blame). 'Cruel speech.' The wives chide Kṛṣṇa with bhakta-bold-ness — they refuse to accept that He of all persons would speak nṛ-śaṁsa. Bhakti has a right to argue with the Beloved.
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satyam-kuruṣva
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please make true
Compound: satyam (true) + kuruṣva (make). They invoke His own scriptural promise — reminiscent of Gītā 9.31 (na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati). Bhakti holds Bhagavān to His word.
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nigamam
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the promise given in revealed scripture
From ni + √gam — śruti, the revealed Veda. The wives cite the Veda back to its author — a perfect Gauḍīya move: the bhakta knows what Bhagavān has said and asks Him to keep it.
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pāda-mūlam
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the base of the lotus feet
Compound: pāda (foot) + mūlam (base). The exact target of śaraṇāgati. Verse 30 will repeat the figure — pāda-mūla is the only place to fall in Gauḍīya soteriology.
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tulasi-dāma
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the garland of tulasī leaves
Compound: tulasī + dāma (garland). The wives want to wear what falls from Kṛṣṇa's feet — the tulasī-mālā, sacrum-symbol of every Vaiṣṇava. Their request defines them as Vaiṣṇavīs before the chapter ends.
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atilaṅghya
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rejecting (lit. crossing over)
Absolutive of ati + √laṅgh — 'leap over.' They will leap over every social bond. Bhakti at this pitch is a violation of the ordinary order, and Gauḍīyas read this verse as one of the great prema-vidhi declarations.
Here the brāhmaṇas’ wives are saying something similar to what the gopīs say at the beginning of the rāsa dance ( Bhāg. 10.29.31 ), when Lord Kṛṣṇa tells them to go home as well. Like this verse, the gopīs’ statement begins with the words maivaṁ vibho ’rhati bhavān gadituṁ nṛ-śaṁsam. Nigama refers to the Vedic literature, which states that one who surrenders at the lotus feet of the Lord does not return to this material world. Thus the brāhmaṇas’ wives appealed to the Lord that since they had surrendered to Him, it was unfair for Him to order them to return to their materialistic husbands. According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, Lord Kṛṣṇa might have pointed out to the brāhmaṇas’ wives, “You young ladies are members of the aristocratic brāhmaṇa community, so how can you surrender at the feet of a mere cowherd boy?” To this the ladies might have replied, “Since we have already surrendered at Your lotus feet, and since we desire to become Your servants, we are obviously not maintaining a false identification as members of the so-called brāhmaṇa community. You can easily ascertain this from our words.” Lord Kṛṣṇa might have replied, “I am a cowherd boy, and My proper maidservants and girlfriends are the cowherd girls, the gopīs. ” The wives might have answered, “True, let them be so. Let them shine forth if You are embarrassed in front of Your relatives to make brāhmaṇa ladies Your maidservants. We certainly don’t want to embarrass You. We will not go to Your village but will rather remain in Vṛndāvana, like presiding deities of the forest. We simply desire to perfect our lives by even a slight trace of connection with You.” Thus by the spiritual insight of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, we learn that the brāhmaṇas’ wives offered to remain at a distance and simply take the tulasī leaves that would fall from the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa or be crushed by the feet of His girlfriends when He would embrace them. The ladies offered to carry these tulasī leaves upon their heads. Thus renouncing the desire to become Kṛṣṇa’s intimate girlfriends or maidservants (a position they knew was difficult to achieve), the young brāhmaṇa ladies begged to remain in Vṛndāvana forest. If the Lord had then asked “Then what will your family members say?” they would have replied “We have already transcended our so-called relatives because we are seeing You, the Supreme Lord, face to face.”
The wives speak just as the gopis endowed with the greatest prema spoke to Krsna before the rasa dance. "You should not speak such harsh words (nrsamsam). The Vedas (nigama) say "na sa punar avartate" (he does not return, having attained your feet.). Make you own words true (mam eve ye prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham)." "But it is not possible for you to give up your identity as wives of brahmanas." They answer, "But we have taken the foot dust of you, a cowherd, to become your servants. No one can say that we identify ourselves as brahmanas. You can prove our words. " Krsna said, "Those who are cowherd women are suitable to become my servants and lovers." "If you will be embarassed in front of friends with so many brahmani servants, then we will not go to your village, but will remain in the forest of vrndavana like forest devatas, satisfied with a touch of your association." Therefore they say, "From far off, we take the tulasi leaves fallen from your feet or which, broken by the feet of your lovers embraced by you, fell under the bed, and were given mercifully by your servants. We bind them in our hair. We do not aspire for being your dear beloved servants, since that is very rare." "But will your friends not object?" "If they do, we will surmount that, and come to you (atilanghya)."
O lord, who spreads inside and outside (vibho)! You know everything about us internally and externally. Let others speak like this, but you should not, since your heart is soft with mercy. These words are cruel. Or, since you are the ocean of rasa you should not speak words without charm (rasa). Not only are these words cruel but they will make you full of untruth. You should make your words true. You promised, “What can I do for you?” That should be understood. First they speak respectfully as devotees using the word bhavān. They then say “Please make your words true.” This is uttered out of prema. Out of longing they did not give regard to the respect that the Lord gives to the brāhmaṇas. “Will you give up your families for me?” We have already given up our relationships. “It is not proper for you wives of brāhmaṇas to give up your husbands.” We have attained your lotus feet.” This meaning however gives rise to great condemnation. Another meaning should be understood: having given up everything, we have accepted service to you to hold the tulasī from your feet. This indicates the great glory of his feet. Their fault in coming is repudiated in the manner of the Gītā statement “Give up all dharmas and surrender to me.” (BG 18.66)
Mā at the beginning indicates negation with intense pain. Do not speak cruel words such as “Go to the arena to complete our husbands’ sacrifices.” O Lord spread inside and outside (vibho)! You know our inside and outside completely. Others may say like this but you (bhavān), having a heart soft with merciful should not say this because it is cruel. Or you are the moon in the ocean of nectar (bhavān). You should not say anything which is hard, without rasa. Not only are your words cruel, but also false. Make your words true. Previously they used bhavān. Now they use tvam (with kurusva) in order to express respect and devotion out of prema. Though by accepting them the truth of the Vedas would be violated, since he surpasses the rules, the request should be fulfilled, since devotees (the wives) are beyond rules and Kṛṣṇa is directly the Lord. Śruti says na sa punar āvartate: he does not return again.
devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam O King! One who has given up all varṇāśrama duties and has taken full shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, who offers shelter to all, is not a debtor to or servant of the devatās, great sages, ordinary living beings, relatives or Pitṛs. SB 11.5.41 “If I bring you go Gokula, the gopīs will reject me and consider you like competitors.” The leaves are dear to you. They are always on your feet and are competitors with Lakṣmī. We aspire to carry on your heads those leaves constantly and with devotion (ni—voḍhum). The gopīs cannot reject you by our rendering this one service. Nor will they consider us competitors. Or by serving you, we will serve them. We will completely surpass husbands and sons (bandhūn). We cannot accept them again.
- Where am I taking the Lord's 'go home' as the final word when more loving petition is invited?
- What 'proximity gift' would I bargain for if I let myself believe He is open to it?
A bride at the threshold whose father tries to turn her back — but she has already crossed; the kuṅkuma on her forehead is the Beloved's mark, and there is no home to return to. The wives' answer is the cry of the gopī before the gopī is born in this chapter.
When her in-laws sent the poisoned cup, when they sent the cobra, when they sent the bed of nails, Mīrā ate the poison as caraṇāmṛta and went on dancing. They could not turn her back because she had already left — the husband on the throne and the Husband in the heart were no longer the same address.
The brāhmaṇīs of this verse occupy that same ledge: they refuse to be sent home, because home has become wherever Kṛṣṇa's feet are.
My note
Source: vedabase.io