Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.47.57
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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kṛṣṇa-āveśa-ātma-viklavam
—
the mental agitation arising from total absorption in Kṛṣṇa
Compound (contiguous chain): kṛṣṇa + āveśa (absorption) + ātma + viklavam (agitation). Viklava — the technical rasa-shastra term for the disordering effect of mahā-bhāva. Gauḍīyas read this as evidence that the gopīs are in mahā-bhāva.
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parama-prītaḥ
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supremely pleased
Compound: parama + prītaḥ. Uddhava's prīti at seeing their viklava — his joy is in their disordering. Gauḍīyas read this as the connoisseur's recognition of the supreme rasa.
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namasyan
—
offering all respect
Present participle of namasya- (denominative from namas — obeisance). Uddhava the diplomat now bows. Gauḍīyas note this gesture as the chapter's pivot: the messenger has become a disciple.
Viklava, “mental disturbance,” should not be confused here with ordinary material distress. It is clearly stated that Uddhava was supremely pleased, and he felt this way because he saw that the gopīs had attained the highest state of loving ecstasy. Uddhava was an exalted member of the court in Dvārakā, an important minister in world political affairs, and yet he felt the spiritual urge to offer his obeisances to the glorious gopīs, although externally they were mere cowherd girls in an insignificant village called Vṛndāvana. Thus, to explain his feelings he sang the following verses. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī states that Uddhava sang these verses daily while he was in Vṛndāvana.
Having observed the transcendental madness (viklavah) of the minds (atma) absorbed in Krsna (Krsnavesa) of the gopis of such exalted qualities (evam adi), Uddhava proclaimed loudly (jagau) in the manner of (idam) mantras of respect (namasyan). According to Sridhara Swami he spoke loudly to show that it was not improper for one of Ksatriya birth to offer respects to the women of cowherd birth.
Though all the people of Vraja had extraordinary prema, Uddhava shows that gopīs developed the most astonishing bhakti. Seeing the conduct of the gopīs as described (evam ādi), who developed their (ātma) condition of unmāda (viklava) by absorption in Kṛṣṇa, which had never occurred before, Uddhava was extremely pleased, thinking himself most fortunate to see this and appreciating their qualities. He then sang verses of praise to offer them respect (namasyan). This means that he praised them in a sweet voice, with full absorption. Or after offering them respects, he sang. Every day, in coming and going, remaining at some distance from the gopīs he would sing.
Evam ādi means in the way described, including speaking in madness and constantly fainting. Or it means ādi-gopīnām, the eternal beloveds, the women of Vraja. He saw their divyonmāda state, caused by complete absorption in Kṛṣṇa. Directly experience that, he offered respects to them, first with verses of praise. Or first he offered respects with great devotion and then sang verses loudly. He sang in a pleasant manner, being overjoyed (parama-pritaḥ) by seeing their special prema previously unseen for his Lord.
- Where do you assume someone's disturbance is a problem when it might be advanced absorption?
- How do you respect what looks unbalanced as actually more aligned?
Uddhava sees the gopīs' total absorption — kṛṣṇa-āveśa-ātma-viklavam — and is supremely pleased. He came to teach them poise; he leaves convinced their disturbance is the highest condition. He bows. Gauḍīyas read this verse as the moment Uddhava becomes a Vaiṣṇava in the Gauḍīya sense.
My note
Source: vedabase.io