Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.32.9
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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keśava
—
of Lord Kṛṣṇa
Name explained two ways: (1) the one with beautiful long hair (keśa-vat); (2) the controller of Brahmā (ka) and Śiva (īśa) — keśa-ava. Gauḍīyas favor the latter for its theological precision: Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān above demigods, not one among them.
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āloka
—
by the sight
From ā-√lok — to gaze toward. Distinct from darśana in that āloka emphasizes the seeking gaze, not yet the mutual contact. The festival of joy begins at the moment the gaze reaches Him, before contact.
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parama - utsava
—
supreme festivity
Compound: parama (highest) + utsava (festival). Utsava in Vaiṣṇava usage names a particular līlā-event the community celebrates — Janmāṣṭamī, Gaura-pūrṇimā. Here Kṛṣṇa's return is itself an utsava, not a calendar one but a heart-one.
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viraha - jam
—
born of their separation
Compound: viraha (separation) + ja (born of). Viraha is the master-rasa of Gauḍīya theology after Caitanya — His final twelve years at Purī were a sustained meditation on viraha. Here it is dispelled; the deeper Caitanya teaching is that even at meeting, viraha never fully leaves Vraja-bhāva.
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prājñam
—
a spiritually enlightened person
From pra-√jñā — to know fully. A prājña in Vaiṣṇava usage is not a philosopher but a realized devotee whose presence transmits realization. Sat-saṅga is the sole catalyst of bhakti, Bhāgavata insists repeatedly (1.18, 3.25, 11.26).
As those who are suffering the pains of material existence (janah) give up suffering on meeting a topmost devotee (prajnam), so the gopis began to get release from suffering by seeing Krsna. This is similar to the description of the rainy season in 10.20.20 it is said, "Just as the vaisnsava grhasthas become blissful at the arrival of the topmost devotees..."
“What about the other gopīs?” They all enjoyed the greatest bliss. As in SB 10.29.48, where Keśava was explained as meaning “shining brightly” here also it means “he who has all types of beauty.” Since he appeared before them with all beauty according to verse 1, the suffix va indicates “possessing” in order to praise him. Thus Keśava means “he who was filled with the greatest brilliance.” Just as the gopīs’ brilliance disappeared when he disappeared, when he appeared, they became brilliant again. Since seeing him created the highest bliss, they experienced happiness with extinction (nirvrtāḥ) of their previous suffering. An example of similarity is given. In deep sleep (prājñam), by ignorance, one becomes blissful by giving up worries. Or, on attaining a great devotee one becomes blissful. This example illustrates their initial condition on meeting Kṛṣṇa. They were not completely blissful because of the reasons the previously stated.
Not only they gave up suffering and became joyful. All others also became joyful. Keśava means he who has beauty. Va means to exist and keśa means beauty. Even one of his hairs has all beauty. Even seeing him a little (āloka) produced cessation of pain in separation (nirvṛtāḥ) by fulfilment of all desires or expansion of the heart (utsava). Or they extinguished all suffering by joking in prema (paramotsava) and looking at him intently (āloka). An example is given. Prājñām means he who knows completely the best topics, the great devotee who knows the glories of Kṛṣṇa and bhakti. People (janāḥ), or the vaiṣṇavas (ajanāḥ) on again associating affectionately with such a great devotee, after he has gone elsewhere, destroy their pain of separation. Only devotees meeting devotees can be compared to devotees meeting the Lord, just as only the battle between Rāma and Rāvaṇa can be compared to the battle between Rāma and Rāvaṇa.
- What 'association' in your life is genuinely subtracting suffering rather than adding noise?
- Whom could you seek out today as a saint-like source of relief?
The gopīs' viraha-tāpa drops off as ordinary people's misery drops off in the company of a self-realized sādhu. The image is precise: a single touch of true association burns the past pain to ash. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme sat-saṅga; viraha is what dissolves at darśana, not what is argued away.
Bhāgavatam 1.4–6 records how Vyāsa, depressed even after compiling the Vedas, met Nārada at Badarikāśrama. Nārada diagnosed the cause — Vyāsa had not glorified Bhagavān directly — and instructed him to compose the Bhāgavatam. Vyāsa's anguish dissolved at that prājña-saṅga.
The gopīs' release in this verse follows the same pattern, but the prājña is Kṛṣṇa Himself, not His messenger. What sādhu-saṅga does in degrees, darśana of Bhagavān does at once.
My note
Source: vedabase.io