FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.83.15-16

श्रीभद्रोवाच पिता मे मातुलेयाय स्वयमाहूय दत्तवान् । कृष्णे कृष्णाय तच्चित्तामक्षौहिण्या सखीजनै: ॥ १५ ॥ अस्य मे पादसंस्पर्शो भवेज्जन्मनि जन्मनि । कर्मभिर्भ्राम्यमाणाया येन तच्छ्रेय आत्मन: ॥ १६ ॥
śrī-bhadrovāca
[shree-bhadrovaacha]
pitā me mātuleyāya
[pitaa me maatuleyaaya]
svayam āhūya dattavān
[svayam aahooya dattavaan]
kṛṣṇe kṛṣṇāya tac-cittām
[krishne krishnaaya tach-chittaam]
akṣauhiṇyā sakhī-janaiḥ
[akshauhinyaa sakhee-janaih]
asya me pāda-saṁsparśo
[asya me paada-samsparsho]
bhavej janmani janmani
[bhavej janmani janmani]
karmabhir bhrāmyamāṇāyā
[karmabhir bhraamyamaanaayaa]
yena tac chreya ātmanaḥ
[yena tach chreya aatmanah]
śrī - bhadrā uvāca — Śrī Bhadrā said pitā — father me — my mātuleyāya — to my maternal cousin svayam — of his own accord āhūya — inviting dattavān — gave kṛṣṇe — O Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī) kṛṣṇāya — to Lord Kṛṣṇa tat — absorbed in whom cittām — whose heart akṣauhiṇyā — with an akṣauhiṇī military guard sakhī - janaiḥ — and with my female companions asya — His me — for me pāda — of the feet saṁsparśaḥ — the touch bhavet — may it be janmani janmani — in one life after another karmabhiḥ — due to the reactions of material activities bhrāmyamāṇāyāḥ — who will be wandering yena — by which tat — that śreyaḥ — ultimate perfection ātmanaḥ — of myself .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-bhadrovāca
śrī - bhadrā uvāca
Śrī Bhadrā said
pitā me mātuleyāya
pitā
father
me
my
mātuleyāya
to my maternal cousin
svayam āhūya dattavān
svayam
of his own accord
āhūya
inviting
dattavān
gave
kṛṣṇe kṛṣṇāya tac-cittām
kṛṣṇe
O Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī)
kṛṣṇāya
to Lord Kṛṣṇa
tat
absorbed in whom
cittām
whose heart
akṣauhiṇyā sakhī-janaiḥ
akṣauhiṇyā
with an akṣauhiṇī military guard
sakhī - janaiḥ
and with my female companions
asya me pāda-saṁsparśo
asya
His
me
for me
pāda
of the feet
saṁsparśaḥ
the touch
bhavej janmani janmani
bhavet
may it be
janmani janmani
in one life after another
karmabhir bhrāmyamāṇāyā
karmabhiḥ
due to the reactions of material activities
bhrāmyamāṇāyāḥ
who will be wandering
yena tac chreya ātmanaḥ
yena
by which
tat
that
śreyaḥ
ultimate perfection
ātmanaḥ
of myself .
  • mātuleyāya — to (Kṛṣṇa, who is her) maternal cousin
    Mātulā (mother's sister) + suffix -eya — one related through the mother's side. Bhadrā's mother was Kṛṣṇa's father Vasudeva's sister Śrutakīrti; Kṛṣṇa is therefore her cousin. The dāna of the daughter is also the keeping-within-the-family of Yadu rakta.
  • tat - cittām — whose heart was absorbed in Him
    Tat (Him) + citta (mind). Her father gave her to Kṛṣṇa because she had already given herself to Him in citta. Gauḍīya reading: external arrangement only ratifies the internal bhāva — the marriage was already complete in her heart.
  • saṁsparśaḥ — the touch
    Sam (full) + sparśa (touch). She does not ask for sight or memory but for sparśa — direct foot-contact, life after life. The intimate end of the bhakti-spectrum: not just darśana but touch.
  • janmani janmani — in birth after birth
    Doubled locative — repetition for emphasis. The same refrain Mitravindā used (anu-bhavam): not liberation from birth, but birth as the vessel for renewed pāda-saṁsparśa. The Gauḍīya formula iṣṭa-deva-svarūpe sthitiḥ — staying with the Lord through every birth.
  • śreyaḥ — ultimate perfection
    Śreyas — the highest good, contrasted with preyas (the pleasing). Bhadrā names pāda-saṁsparśa janmani janmani as her śreyas. Not mokṣa, not lordship — touch of His feet repeated forever.
Śrī Bhadrā said: My dear Draupadī, of his own free will my father invited his nephew Kṛṣṇa, to whom I had already dedicated my heart, and offered me to Him as His bride. My father presented me to the Lord with an akṣauhiṇi military guard and a retinue of my female companions. My ultimate perfection is this: to always be allowed to touch Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet as I wander from life to life, bound by my karma.

With the word ātmanaḥ, Queen Bhadrā speaks not only for herself but for all living entities as well. The soul’s perfection ( śreya ātmanaḥ ) is devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, both in this world and beyond, in liberation. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī comments that although in civilized society it is normally considered disrespectful to publicly speak the name of one’s guru or husband, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s name is unique: the mere utterance of the name Kṛṣṇa is commendable as the highest expression of reverence for God. As the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (4.19) states, yasya nāma mahad yaśaḥ: “The holy name of the Lord is supremely glorious.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Śrī Bhadrā said: My dear Draupadī, of his own free will my father invited his nephew Kṛṣṇa, to whom I had already dedicated my heart, and offered me to Him as His bride. My father presented me to the Lord with an akṣauhiṇi military guard and a retinue of my female companions. My ultimate perfection is this: to always be allowed to touch Lord Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet as I wander from life to life, bound by my karma.
Commentary

O Draupadi (krsne), my father offered me to son of my maternal uncle, Krsna. (mitravinda was the daughter of Jayasena and Rajadhidevi, sister of Vasudeva). "May I, rotating birth after birth due to karma, attain the touch of his lotus feet, by which I will attain the highest goal (sreyah)." This is an expression of humility, in playing the part of a human being, since she has no karma.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Mitravindā speak here instead of Bhadrā in Śrīdhara Svāmī’s version. Though she was offered by her brothers as stated previously, here she says her father gave her. She was promised by her brothers. With everyone’s consent, my father personally called Kṛṣṇa and gave me to him since I had given my heart to him, since Kṛṣṇa attracts everyone’s heart (kṛṣṇāya). She mentioned the name of her husband directly (though this is normally not done) because on remembering him and their good fortune, she and the other queens become overcome with unmāda. Because of this they speak without reservation. Or they speak his name with pride. In the material world it is a fault to say the husband’s name without any descriptive terms since it shows disrespect by making him appear insignificant. To say the name of the Lord however is not a fault but a good quality, since it indicates the Lord’s greatness. Therefore saying the Lord’s names directly is a show of respect. Śruti says yasya nāma mahad yaśaḥ: the Lord’s name is full of great qualities. (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad) May I be able to touch his feet, by massaging them and other services, as I wander about by karmas birth after birth. As part of the human pastimes she shows indifference to all other human goals.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Mitravindā speak here instead of Bhadrā in Śrīdhara Svāmī’s version. Though she was offered by her brothers as stated previously, here she says her father gave her, since the brothers are non-different from the father. Or she was promised by her brothers. With everyone’s consent, my father personally called Kṛṣṇa and gave me to him. The cause of calling Kṛṣṇa and giving to him is stated. I had dedicated by heart to him (tac-cittām), because he was the attractor of all hearts (kṛṣṇāya). She calls out to Draupadī to indicate that her case was special since she was given by her father, by the daughter’s will. May I touch his feet, massaging them, birth after birth as I wander about here and there by karma or as I am born in various bodies. I do not aspire for Vaikuṇṭha because touching his feet is the highest for me.

Related values
Sthitaprajna (Steady Wisdom)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Discriminative WisdomAbhaya (Fearlessness)Seva (Service / Selfless Action)Saurya (Heroism / Bravery)
Related verses
Concepts
KarmaGuru
Bhadrā: my father invited Kṛṣṇa, to whom I had already dedicated my heart, and offered me with an akṣauhiṇī guard. My perfection is to touch His lotus feet, life after life. The bound feet are the freed soul.
Reflection Questions
  • What is the 'perfection' I am actually seeking — and is it touching His feet?
  • How does this clarify what I am chasing?

Bhadrā's father, Kṛṣṇa's own maternal uncle, did not wait for a svayaṁvara or a contest. Knowing his daughter's heart was already given, he simply invited his nephew and offered her — with an akṣauhiṇī army for dowry and her childhood companions to follow. The dānam route, in its sweetest form: a relative giving a relative, no test required because the bhakti was already there.

📝 My note

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