Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.29.6-7
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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pariveṣayantyaḥ
—
serving (food)
Present participle, fem. pl. — those who were serving food (to husbands and family). The verse begins with this scene precisely because verse 24 will return to it: 'serving your husband is dharma.' The poem is already showing what dharma the gopīs are walking out of.
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śuśrūṣantyaḥ
—
rendering service
Desiderative participle of √śru — literally 'desiring to hear (orders), serving.' The same verb Kṛṣṇa will use in verse 24 (śuśrūṣadhvam patīn). Bhāgavatam plants the word here in scene-form so its later repetition lands as challenge, not abstraction.
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añjantyaḥ
—
those who were applying (kajjala)
Present participle of √añj — to anoint. The half-applied kajjala is left half-applied. Gauḍīyas read this as a tableau of asakti — when attraction to Kṛṣṇa overrides even the small completed actions of self-care.
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vyatyasta-vastra-ābharaṇāḥ
—
with clothes and ornaments in disarray
Compound: vyatyasta (reversed, awry) + vastra (cloth) + ābharaṇa (ornament). One of the eight sāttvika-bhāvas in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu is precisely this loss of composure under prema's force — the body's own protocol breaks.
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kṛṣṇa-antikam
—
near to Kṛṣṇa
Compound: kṛṣṇa + antika (proximity). The directional adverb that organizes the verse — every action listed is conquered by this single vector. Bhakti as orientation: not what one is doing but toward whom.
This verse describes how they gave up their duties as wives and mothers. Some gave up serving food and left. Some gave up serving their husbands with warm water and rendering other services. This verse describes how they gave up their normal dressing. They gave up applying candana and other ointments and left the house. Others gave up applying oil and tumeric on their bodies and left. Other gopis in great haste could not distinguish hand from foot or nose from ear, and placed their ornaments in the wrong place. This is an indicationg vibhrama, one of the anubhavas or symptoms of intense love. The scriptures say, "when a person at the time of meeting the lover, out of love dons ornaments and garlands on the wrong bodily parts it is called vibhrama."
The previous verse describes the gopīs neglecting milking, boiling milk and baking cakes in the evening. Some gave up other people and proper conduct, and among them first those who gave up regular friends and servants are described. Some, giving up serving friends and servants, went. Some gave up their objects of great affection—feeding children milk--and left. They were feeding the nephews, not their own children, since this would a conflict with mādhurya-rasa (these gopīs had not given birth to children). Next giving up dharma is described. Some gave up serving their husbands by offering a warm bath water. Some gave up interest in their own bodies: they gave up eating their meal. From this it is understood that because of their absorption in prema for Kṛṣṇa, they did not distinguish between pure and impure. Some, longing for him day and night, began decorating themselves. As describing in Gīta-govinda, some gave up decorating their bodies out of great longing, even though that would please Kṛṣṇa. Others gave applying cosmetics on their bodies. Others gave up cleaning their bodies, for they had given up interest in their bodies. Some were not aware of the correct limbs and put the ornaments on the wrong limbs. Previously this attitude was described as the anubhāva called vibhrama, a strong inclination to reject everything. vallabha-prāpti-velāyāṁ madanāveśa-sambhramāt | vibhramo hāra-mālyādi-bhūṣā-sthāna-viparyayaḥ || When, at the time of going to meet her lover, the heroine places necklaces, flower-garlands and other ornaments in the wrong places, when agitated by the onslaught of intense passion, it is called vibhrama. Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi 11.39 It should be understood that their identity depended on their prema for the Lord, not on dressing. But later Kṛṣṇa himself dressed them properly. In the list starting from milking, those later in the list are considered superior for having given things more essential for the body. In any case they all went near to Kṛṣṇa.
The previous verse describes the gopīs neglecting milking, boiling milk and baking cakes in the evening. Some gave up other people and proper conduct, and among them, first, those who gave up regular friends and servants are described. Some, giving up serving friends and servants, went. Though they were absorbed in evening duties, they got their happiness in giving up ordinary dutis, informing husbands, friends and servants. Some gave up their objects of great affection whom should not be given up—feeding children milk--and left. They were feeding the nephews, not their own children, since this would a conflict with mādhurya-rasa (these gopīs had not given birth to children). Next, giving up dharma is described. Some gave up serving their husbands in the form of feeding them. They gave up eating their meal. First giving up ordinary duties, though they were dedicated to dharma and chastity, was described. Some ignored their own bodies. They did not eat. This indicates that they dedicated their bodies to the Lord’s pleasure. From this it is understood that because of their absorption in prema for Kṛṣṇa, they did not distinguish between pure and impure for their bodies. Some had been decorating their bodies with sandalwood. By giving up this they showed indifference to their bodies. Some were not aware of the correct limbs and put the ornaments on the wrong limbs. Previously this attitude was described as the anubhāva called vibhrama, a strong inclination to reject everything. vallabha-prāpti-velāyāṁ madanāveśa-sambhramāt | vibhramo hāra-mālyādi-bhūṣā-sthāna-viparyayaḥ || When, at the time of going to meet her lover, the heroine places necklaces, flower-garlands and other ornaments in the wrong places, when agitated by the onslaught of intense passion, it is called vibhrama. Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi 11.39 It should be understood that their identity depended on their prema for the Lord, not on dressing. But later Kṛṣṇa himself dressed them properly. In the list starting from milking, those later in the list are considered superior for having given up things more essential for the body. Or they only gave up their duties. In putting on their clothing in reverse order they gave up the customary dress. The reason is that they were all absorbed in Kṛṣṇa. They were eager (samutsukāḥ). They all went close to Kṛṣna, who is most attractive, the son of Nanda, Śyāmasundara. They did not remain far away out of shame or because of obstacles. They came close because of the great attraction. Not only did they come close to him but they came at great speed because of his attractiveness.
- What 'in-progress' aspects of my appearance keep me from responding to His call?
- Where am I valuing presentation over presence?
Half-applied kajjala, sari worn upside-down, ornaments on the wrong limb — the gopīs run to Kṛṣṇa in disarray because they have stopped grooming for the world. Mādhurya-bhakti is the cosmetic crisis of someone who has finally found her mirror.
My note
Source: vedabase.io