Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.20
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
The important point in this verse is how it was possible that Arjuna could be defeated by a gang of ignoble cowherd men and how such mundane cowherd men could touch the bodies of the wives of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who were under the protection of Arjuna. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has justified the contradiction by research in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa and Brahma Purāṇa. In these Purāṇas it is said that once the fair denizens of heaven pleased Aṣṭāvakra Muni by their service and were blessed by the muni to have the Supreme Lord as their husband. Aṣṭāvakra Muni was curved in eight joints of his body, and thus he used to move in a peculiar curved manner. The daughters of the demigods could not check their laughter upon seeing the movements of the muni, and the muni, being angry at them, cursed them that they would be kidnapped by rogues, even if they would get the Lord as their husband. Later on, the girls again satisfied the muni by their prayers, and the muni blessed them that they would regain their husband even after being robbed by the rogues. So, in order to keep the words of the great muni, the Lord Himself kidnapped His wives from the protection of Arjuna, otherwise they would have at once vanished from the scene as soon as they were touched by the rogues. Besides that, some of the gopīs who prayed to become wives of the Lord returned to their respective positions after their desire was fulfilled. After the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa, He wanted all His entourage back to Godhead, and they were called back under different conditions only.
What you guessed--my defeat, also occurred. Without my friend, my mind became vacant (hṛdayena śūnyaḥ). I was almost fainting. Actually the cowherds were not low criminals. Gopa means those who protected (pa) the earth and heavens (go). These persons took the queens away. The Lord took the form of these cowherd men and took away his dear queens so that they could enter into the unmanifest pastimes.
na vayaṁ sādhvi sāmrājyaṁ svārājyaṁ bhaujyam apy uta vairājyaṁ pārameṣṭhyaṁ ca ānantyaṁ vā hareḥ padam
O saintly lady, we do not desire dominion over the earth, the sovereignty of the King of heaven, unlimited facility for enjoyment, mystic power, the position of Lord Brahmā, immortality or even attainment of the kingdom of God.
kāmayāmaha etasya śrīmat-pāda-rajaḥ śriyaḥ kuca-kuṅkuma-gandhāḍhyaṁ mūrdhnā voḍhuṁ gadā-bhṛtaḥ
We simply desire to carry on our heads the glorious dust of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s feet, enriched by the fragrance of kuṅkuma from His consort’s bosom. SB 10.83.41-42
vraja-striyo yad vāṣchanti pulindyas tṛṇa-vīrudhaḥ gāvaś cārayato gopāḥ pada-sparśaṁ mahātmanaḥ
We desire the same contact with the Supreme Lord’s feet that the young women of Vraja, the cowherd boys and even the aborigine Pulinda women desire—the touch of the dust He leaves on the plants and grass as He tends His cows. SB 10.83.43
From these verses it is understood that the queens desired the form of the Lord that the gopīs hankered for. Otherwise, if the queens, who were directly Lakṣmī, enjoyed by the Lord, were touched by low material persons, they would have immediately disappeared. It is understood that they attained forms as women of Vraja in another manifested pastime. This can be understood from the Viṣṇu and Brahma Purāṇas. Vyāsa also spoke to Arjuna about this:
evaṁ tasya muneḥ śāpād aṣṭāvakrasya keśavam | bhartāraṁ prāpya tā yātā dasyuhastā varāṅganāḥ ||
Because of the curse of the sage Aṣṭāvakra, the best of women, becoming the wives of Kṛṣṇa, would be touched by the thieves.
Long ago, the heavenly women praised Aṣṭāvakra. He blessed them by saying “Viṣṇu will become your husband.” Because they laughed at him on seeing his crooked body, he cursed them “You will be taken by the thieves.” Again being merciful he said that after the curse had ended they would again attain the Lord who would take the form of the thieves. Not being able to avoid the curse and the blessing, they experienced being taken by the thieves and attaining the Lord because of this, since Kṛṣṇa took the form of the thieves. It is also said:
tat tvayā na hi kartavyaḥ śoko ’lpo ’pi hi pāṇḍava | tenāpy akhila-nāthena sarvaṁ tad upasaṁhṛtam ||
O Pāṇḍava! Do not lament at all. All of the queens have been brought close by the perfect husband Kṛṣṇa.
Akhila-nāthena means by Kṛṣṇa, the perfect husband. Sarvam refers to all the dear queens. Upasaṁhṛtam means “brought close to him in a direct way,” since this happened through the instrument of Arjuna.
- Priya Valabha Mataji SB 01-15-20-21 Hindi
- SDAP SB 01-15-20 - 2015-05-31 Phoenix
- SKrishnaPr SB 01-15-20
- Vijaya Pr SB 01-15-20 - Get to the root of society%27s problems Via Book Distribution - 2011-12-17 Melbourne
- Hari Vilas Sw SB 01-15-20 - 2020-08-27
- SP SB 1-15-20 Los Angeles 1973-11-30 Again Become a Mouse
My note
Source: vedabase.io