Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.23.34
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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yajña-vāṭam
—
to the place of sacrifice
Compound: yajña (sacrifice) + vāṭam (enclosure). The technical name for the bounded sacrificial ground. The wives, having crossed the boundary spiritually, re-cross it physically — without losing what they crossed for.
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dvija-patnyaḥ
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the wives of the brāhmaṇas
Compound: dvija + patnyaḥ. Same designation as throughout the chapter — they keep their social identity. Bhakti does not require renouncing varṇāśrama-role; it requires re-locating the heart inside it.
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anasūyavaḥ
—
not inimical
Compound: an (not) + asūyavaḥ (those who envy). The husbands' anger is removed — Kṛṣṇa's promise in verse 31 has been fulfilled in this single word. Gauḍīya reads: when Bhagavān undertakes a social arrangement, it holds.
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satram-apārayan
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they completed the sacrifice
Compound: satram (sacrifice) + apārayan (made to reach the far shore). The sacrifice does reach completion — but now it is a yajña whose offerings were already received by the Lord whose wives served Him in the forest.
The wives of the brāhmaṇas obeyed Lord Kṛṣṇa’s order and returned to the sacrificial arena of their husbands, whereas the gopīs, although ordered by Kṛṣṇa to go home, remained in the forest to dance with Him through the full-moon night. Both the gopīs and the brāhmaṇas’ wives achieved pure love of Godhead.
At that sacrificial arena (tatra) there was one brahaman lady situated at the back, who was forcibly held by her husband. She gave up her body produced by material karma, not her body filled with prema. She embraced Krsna with a body filled with prema, attained by strong desire in separation. Unseen by others, she assumed her spiritual body and quickly left that place to meet Krsna. Having given up husband and other objects of attachment, is it surprising that someone also gives up the material body to meet Krsna? In order to show the strength of prema, the lord’s mercy made her give up the material body at the time of meeting Krsna and receive a spiritual body of prema. Like a touchstone, this action transformed the other wives’ material bodies into spiritual bodies as well. Thus, from that day onward, they did not associate intimately with their husbands. What is not possible for Krsna’s krpa sakti? One cannot say whether the one brahmana lady was superior in her bhakti to the others or not, since there is no indication given in scripture. But in any case, all became perfected by the mercy of Krsna. That is clear. There is a saying: krpasiddha yajna panti vairocani sukadayah (The wives of the brahmanas, Bali maharaja, Sukadeva and others are all krpa siddha.)
The brāhmaṇas completed the sacrifice with their wives, who had received the mercy of the Lord. Because the Lord disregarded their immediate request, the fault in the sacrifice was removed and became endowed with all good qualities. Instead of tābhiḥ sometimes svābhiḥ is found. The brāhmaṇas with each of their wives individually completed the sacrifice.
The brāhmaṇas completed the sacrifice with their wives, who had received the mercy of the Lord. The fault in the sacrifice was removed and became endowed with all good qualities. Instead of tābhiḥ sometimes svābhiḥ is found. The brāhmaṇas with each of their wives individually completed the sacrifice. Without their wives the sacrifice could not be completed. By the mercy of the Lord’s words or by the influence of their returning with the Lord’s mercy, they did not find fault with them.
- Where am I confusing devotional intensity with dramatic departure?
- What quieter return could keep my household structure intact while love deepens?
A river that returns to its bed after the flood, but now carrying gold dust in its silt — the wives return to the yajña, and the yajña is completed, but everything has changed under the surface.
My note
Source: vedabase.io