FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.61.5

इत्थं रमापतिमवाप्य पतिं स्‍त्रियस्ता ब्रह्मादयोऽपि न विदु: पदवीं यदीयाम् । भेजुर्मुदाविरतमेधितयानुराग- हासावलोकनवसङ्गमलालसाद्यम् ॥ ५ ॥
itthaṁ ramā-patim avāpya patiṁ striyas tā
[ittham ramaa-patim avaapya patim striyas taa]
brahmādayo ’pi na viduḥ padavīṁ yadīyām
[brahmaadayo ’pi na viduh padaveem yadeeyaam]
bhejur mudāviratam edhitayānurāga-
[bhejur mudaaviratam edhitayaanuraaga-]
hāsāvaloka-nava-saṅgama-lālasādyam
[haasaavaloka-nava-sangama-laalasaadyam]
ittham — in this manner ramā - patim — the Lord of the goddess of fortune avāpya — obtaining patim — as their husband striyaḥ — the women tāḥ — they brahma - ādayaḥ — Lord Brahmā and other demigods api — even na viduḥ — do not know padavīm — the means of attaining yadīyām — whom bhejuḥ — partook of mudā — with pleasure aviratam — incessantly edhitayā — increasing anurāga — loving attraction hāsa — smiling avaloka — glances nava — ever-fresh saṅgama — for intimate association lālasa — eagerness ādyam — beginning with .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
itthaṁ ramā-patim avāpya patiṁ striyas tā
ittham
in this manner
ramā - patim
the Lord of the goddess of fortune
avāpya
obtaining
patim
as their husband
striyaḥ
the women
tāḥ
they
brahmādayo ’pi na viduḥ padavīṁ yadīyām
brahma - ādayaḥ
Lord Brahmā and other demigods
api
even
na viduḥ
do not know
padavīm
the means of attaining
yadīyām
whom
bhejur mudāviratam edhitayānurāga-
bhejuḥ
partook of
mudā
with pleasure
aviratam
incessantly
edhitayā
increasing
anurāga
loving attraction
hāsāvaloka-nava-saṅgama-lālasādyam
hāsa
smiling
avaloka
glances
nava
ever-fresh
saṅgama
for intimate association
lālasa
eagerness
ādyam
beginning with .
  • ramā-patim — the Lord of the goddess of fortune
    Ramā = Lakṣmī; pati = master, husband. A Vaiṣṇava signature epithet anchoring Kṛṣṇa as Nārāyaṇa's tattva. The queens obtain as their personal husband the One whom Lakṣmī herself worships.
  • padavīm — the path, the means of attaining
    From pad, 'foot' — the trodden way. Bhāgavatam repeatedly says Bhagavān's padavī is unknown even to demigods (cf. SB 10.14.29). Gauḍīyas read this as the supremacy of rāgānugā-bhakti over jñāna-mārga.
  • anurāga — loving attraction
    anu + rāga, 'following attachment.' In Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, anurāga is a specific stage of prema where every encounter feels new (nava-navāyamāna). The verse's 'nava-saṅgama-lālasa' is the textbook signature of anurāga.
  • nava — ever-fresh
    The Gauḍīya stamp on Kṛṣṇa-bhakti: navīna, ever-new. Whatever has been enjoyed a thousand times feels first-time again in His association — Rūpa Gosvāmī's definition of mahābhāva pivots on this.
  • lālasa — eagerness
    Reduplicated intensive of √las. A technical term in rasa-śāstra for the longing-mode of love — distinguished from the satisfied mode (vipralambha vs. sambhoga). The queens enjoy sambhoga yet retain lālasa, the mark of unending freshness.
Thus these women obtained as their husband the master of the goddess of fortune, although even great demigods like Brahmā do not know how to approach Him. With ever-increasing pleasure, they felt loving attraction for Him, exchanged smiling glances with Him, eagerly anticipated associating with Him in ever-fresh intimacy and enjoyed in many other ways.

This text describes the intense conjugal attraction the queens felt for Lord Kṛṣṇa.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Thus these women obtained as their husband the master of the goddess of fortune, although even great demigods like Brahmā do not know how to approach Him. With ever-increasing pleasure, they felt loving attraction for Him, exchanged smiling glances with Him, eagerly anticipated associating with Him in ever-fresh intimacy and enjoyed in many other ways.
Commentary

This verse describes the intimate association with Krsna brought about by his senses being agitated by the wives' prema maya affection. By showing their showing smiling glances full of prema maya affection (anuraga), they or Krsna enjoyed many (adyam), ever new, intimate exchanges, with great hankering because they could not be completely satisfied. Thus it should be understood that Krsna is controlled by the prema maya actions of his wives this is illustrated by his actions such as stealing of the parijata tree and by statements such as the following: The Lord says: tathaham api tac citto nidram ca na labhe nisi: I cannot sleep at night because of thinking of Rukmini. Sukadeva says: : iksito 'ntah purasrinam savrida smia viksataih krcchrad visrsta niragajja haso harammanah Being enchanted by their smiling glances he found it difficult to leave their houses. reme striratna kutastho bhagavan prakrto yatha Living amongst the jewel among women, the lord played like an ordinary person.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

This verse shows that Brahmā and others cannot compare to the queens in service. They had obtained the husband of Rukmiṇī or the husband of the gopīs as their husband. They enjoyed with him, experiencing increasing joy with great desire for fresh association through glances laden with love and smiles.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Two verses are connected with the previous statement that they thought of themselves as dearest to the Lord. Or ramā-patim (husband of Lakṣmī) of this verse is illustrated in the next verse. Controlling his mind in this way (ittham) they attained the husband of Lakṣmī. This verse shows that Brahmā and others cannot compare to the queens in service. They had obtained the husband of Rukmiṇī or the husband of the gopīs as their husband. They enjoyed with him, experiencing increasing joy with great desire for fresh association through glances laden with love and smiles.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Bhakti (Devotion)Vinaya (Humility / Modesty)Prema (Divine Love)Samata (Equanimity / Even-mindedness)
Related verses
Concepts
Maya
The queens obtained as their husband the Lord whom even Brahmā cannot approach, and their love for Him only grew. Devotion to Kṛṣṇa is ever-fresh — it never becomes stale, because He is inexhaustibly attractive.
Reflection Questions
  • Where has my spiritual life grown stale, and how might I rediscover Kṛṣṇa's freshness there?
  • What gift has Kṛṣṇa already given me that I am taking for granted today?

Like maidservants who somehow found the door to which Brahmā cannot find the path — the queens stand inside the inner chamber of Ramā-pati and never tire of His ever-fresh smile, while the lord of the universe still hunts for the entrance.

Brahmā's bewilderment in Brahma-vimohana

Three chapters before this, in SB 10.13–14, Brahmā stole Kṛṣṇa's calves and cowherd boys and watched the Lord become each of them. Falling at His feet, Brahmā confessed he could not fathom Kṛṣṇa's path — 'jñāne prayāsam udapāsya,' merely hearing of Him from devotees is the only access.

The present verse turns that line into a queen's privilege: those whom Brahmā cannot reach, Kṛṣṇa's wives receive as husband — bhakti opens what jñāna cannot.

📝 My note

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