Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.34.26
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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tat-nātham
—
having Them as their Lord/protector
Tat (those, i.e., Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma) + nātha (lord, husband, protector). The gopīs have one nātha alone. Gauḍīyas note: prapatti establishes nātha-relation; whoever the prapanna's nātha is, that One is bound to protect.
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pramadā-janam
—
the assembly of women
Pramadā = women (lit. those who give pramoda, joy). Jana = people, collective. Gauḍīyas reread the word in the gopī context: the pramodayitrīs of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes — those whose very office is to delight Bhagavān.
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krośantam
—
crying out
Present participle of √kruś — to cry, wail. The verse echoes Nanda's ākranditam (v. 7). Vraja's two episodes in this chapter share one verb-root: the cry of the surrendered, and Bhagavān's identical response.
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aśaṅkitaḥ
—
without hesitation, fearless
A (not) + śaṅkita (hesitant, doubtful — from √śaṅk). The demon's confidence in front of Kṛṣṇa is itself the diagnostic of his ruin — only one without proper darśana could be that aśaṅkita in that company. The next two verses correct his vision.
According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, the demon Śaṅkhacūḍa shook a large stick at the beautiful young girls, thus frightening them and driving them toward the north. He did not actually touch them, as is corroborated by the following verse.
Because of his attack Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma looked on with disrespect. The demon acted in this way because he was fearless (aśaṅkitaḥ). He took them north since this was where the Guhyakas (Yakṣas) lived. It was the custom of the Horikā festival that the women line up in separate rows.
Because of his attack, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma looked on with disrespect. O king! Śukadeva calls out because of astonishment at the foolishness of the demon, or out of great pain. Or the demon remained (rājan) there as if insane and then drove them off fearlessly. It was not difficult to take the women away, since they were soft by nature. The singular indicates that one woman, Rādhā, was taken, as in Lalita-mādhava. When the plural is used later, it is used out of respect. Or it indicates that he also took her attendants. Or he says “Do not fear!” to comfort the others. Or the singular is used in this verse to indicate a class. Janaḥ indicates all the gopīs. They had been mad with prema because of the singing (pramadā). Thus they were inattentive to the situation. They called out to Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma loudly with painful voices. The demon took them away by force and by many methods far away to the north, where the Guyakas had their homes. First he would take them to his house. Or they were playing east of Govardhana. The demon took them to Kaṁsa at Mathurā in the north.
- What is being 'herded away' from your heart while you watch and freeze?
- Have you cried out clearly, by name, or muttered into the abstract?
Even as Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma watch, Śaṅkhacūḍa drives the gopīs north — bold as a thief stealing cattle while the owner stands in the gate. The boldness is itself the demon's blindfold: he mistakes Kṛṣṇa's tolerance for absence. Saṁsāra often does the same; Bhagavān's patience is misread as His non-existence.
My note
Source: vedabase.io