FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.47.19

వయమృతమివ జిహ్మవ్యాహృతం శ్రద్దధానా: కులికరుతమివాజ్ఞా: కృష్ణవధ్వో హరిణ్య: । దద‍ృశురసకృదేతత్తన్నఖస్పర్శతీవ్ర- స్మరరుజ ఉపమన్త్రిన్ భణ్యతామన్యవార్తా ॥ ౧౯ ॥
vayam ṛtam iva jihma-vyāhṛtaṁ śraddadhānāḥ
[vayam ritam iva jihma-vyaahritam shraddadhaanaah]
kulika-rutam ivājñāḥ kṛṣṇa-vadhvo hariṇyaḥ
[kulika-rutam ivaajnaah krishna-vadhvo harinyah]
dadṛśur asakṛd etat tan-nakha-sparśa-tīvra
[dadrishur asakrid etat tan-nakha-sparsha-teevra]
smara-ruja upamantrin bhaṇyatām anya-vārtā
[smara-ruja upamantrin bhanyataam anya-vaartaa]
vayam — we ṛtam — true iva — as if jihma — deceptive vyāhṛtam — His speech śraddadhānāḥ — trusting kulika — of a hunter rutam — the song iva — as if ajñāḥ — foolish kṛṣṇa — of the black deer vadhvaḥ — wives hariṇyaḥ — the doe dadṛśuḥ — experienced asakṛt — repeatedly etat — this tat — His nakha — of the fingernails sparśa — by the touch tīvra — sharp smara — of lust rujaḥ — the pain upamantrin — O messenger bhaṇyatām — please speak anya — another vārtā — topic .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vayam ṛtam iva jihma-vyāhṛtaṁ śraddadhānāḥ
vayam
we
ṛtam
true
iva
as if
jihma
deceptive
vyāhṛtam
His speech
śraddadhānāḥ
trusting
kulika-rutam ivājñāḥ kṛṣṇa-vadhvo hariṇyaḥ
kulika
of a hunter
rutam
the song
iva
as if
ajñāḥ
foolish
kṛṣṇa
of the black deer
vadhvaḥ
wives
hariṇyaḥ
the doe
dadṛśur asakṛd etat tan-nakha-sparśa-tīvra
dadṛśuḥ
experienced
asakṛt
repeatedly
etat
this
tat
His
nakha
of the fingernails
sparśa
by the touch
tīvra
sharp
smara-ruja upamantrin bhaṇyatām anya-vārtā
smara
of lust
rujaḥ
the pain
upamantrin
O messenger
bhaṇyatām
please speak
anya
another
vārtā
topic .
  • jihma-vyāhṛtam — deceptive speech
    Compound: jihma (crooked) + vyāhṛtam (uttered). Kṛṣṇa's words were jihma — twisted, double-meaning. Gauḍīyas note that this 'deception' is His līlā: He speaks both as departing prince and as eternally present beloved, and both are true.
  • kulika-rutam — the song of a hunter
    Compound: kulika (hunter) + rutam (sound, cry). The hunter's whistle that lures the doe. Kṛṣṇa's flute is here recast as the hunter's call — and the gopīs as His willing prey.
  • kṛṣṇa-vadhvaḥ — wives of the black deer
    Compound: kṛṣṇa (black) + vadhvaḥ (wives). Pun on Kṛṣṇa's name — the wives of the black-stag and the wives (gopīs) of Kṛṣṇa are the same word. The poet braids the metaphor into His very name.
  • smara-rujaḥ — the pain of lust
    Compound: smara (Cupid, kāma) + rujaḥ (pain). Smara — kāma-deva — names the longing-pain. Gauḍīyas distinguish gopī's smara from mundane kāma: it is rūḍha-bhāva of mādhurya, lust that has become prema by total focus on Kṛṣṇa.
  • upamantrin — O messenger
    From upa + √mantr (to advise, address). She addresses the bee as 'one who whispers advice' — a courtly title for the envoy. The civility is part of the cruelty: she is still in full command of the conversation.
Faithfully taking His deceitful words as true, we became just like the black deer’s foolish wives, who trust the cruel hunter’s song. Thus we repeatedly felt the sharp pain of lust caused by the touch of His nails. O messenger, please talk about something besides Kṛṣṇa.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī categorizes this statement of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s as ājalpa, as defined by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī: jaihmyaṁ tasyārti-datvaṁ ca nirvedād yatra kīrtitam bhaṅgyānya-sukha-datvaṁ ca sa ājalpa udīritaḥ “A statement spoken in disgust, describing how the male lover is deceitful and brings one misery, and also implying that He gives happiness to others, is known as ājalpa. ” ( Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi 14.196)

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Faithfully taking His deceitful words as true, we became just like the black deer's foolish wives, who trust the cruel hunter's song. Thus we repeatedly felt the sharp pain of lust caused by the touch of His nails. O messenger, please talk about something besides Kṛṣṇa.
Commentary

The bee seemed to say, "Why did such intelligent ladies establish friendship with such a person as Krsna?" Radha said, "'You have offered yourselves to me with the highest attachment. If I had the lifetime of the devatas, still I could not repay you.'(sb 10.32.22) We fools had faith in this cheaters statements, just as the wives of the black deer have faith in the song of the hunter. As the deer 'saw' his song (saw the result-- the striking of the arrow), so we also experienced the sharp pangs of love with the touch of his nails. Not once, but many times, the deer, out of ignorance, have been shot. This shows their extreme stupidity. And we also, repeatedly suffering in the mind from relationship with him, are also extremely stupid. Therefore o jester, speak of other things, which will make us happy, for news of Krsna simply brings us suffering." This verse is an example of ajalpa, which contains descriptions of Krsna’s crooked nature, stating that topics about him give sorrow, and other topics give happiness. Ujjvala Nilamani says, "Where there is discussion of his crooked nature with disgust, and how that gives sorrow, where as other topics give happiness, it is called ajalpa."

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

“Why do you say that Kṛṣṇa is a danger to dharma? Previously you met with him alone. You did not say then what you are saying today!” She answers with this verse. Let that be. If there will be proof then you can ask, and not otherwise, for we have drowned in the ocean of suffering because of thinking his words were true. Or, if we develop great troubles just by hearing about his pastimes, is it astonishing that we have experienced great suffering by listening to his deceptive words? She then speaks this verse. Or, the bee says, “O lady! First hear the message from your lover. Then consider. Then you can become angry if you want.” She then answers with this verse. We believed the words of your cheating friend previously described. He said “I cannot repay you.” (SB 10.32.22) He said “I will come back.” (SB 10.41.17) He has promised us a thousand times. We believed that his words were true (ṛtam) countless times. We were certain, since great persons speak the truth. Though he often deviated from his word, we still had firm faith. We felt sharp pangs of desire on always seeing the marks caused when many times he touched us with his nails, since in illusion we thought we were his wives. We experienced (dadṛṣima instead of dadṛśuḥ) only pain in that love, and not happiness in that love. There is an incongruous verb ending for metrical reasons and because she was not aware of the correct grammar due to unmāda. The past tense is used in the sense of “being completed” to hide her present feelings. This happened because we were foolish. An example of a sound made by a hunter and deer is given. The deer, hearing the sound of the hunter think that it is truly favorable for them and not dangerous. They then experience the pain of the hunter’s arrow, just as we experience the pain of love from his nails. The deer then experience unfortunate circumstances just like us. In both cases they are susceptible because of their ignorance. “But you are respectable women and animals become food for men. How can you compare yourselves to the deer?” Thinking the deer to be favorable to her, she includes them in her group by praising them as the wives of the black deer (kṛṣṇa-vadhvaḥ). She addresses their husband with the attractive name of Kṛṣṇa. What is the superiority of the deer over your friend, O bee, by which the does attain excellence? Just as the hunter gives suffering to the does, so your friend gives suffering to us. O representative of Kṛṣṇa, who remains silent in pride! The word upamantin can also mean a jester as in SB 10.70.19. tatropamantriṇo rājan nānā-hāsya-rasair vibhum upatasthur naṭācāryā nartakyas tāṇḍavaiḥ pṛthak And there, O King, jesters would entertain the Lord by displaying various comic moods, expert entertainers would perform for him, and female dancers would dance energetically. Thus the meaning in the present verse would be “O jester! Give some other news. Give up joking. The total meaning that the gopī spoke out of pain, using words of unmade, is of the highest excellence. This is left unspoken by Śukadeva.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

By hearing his pastimes we experience great pain. What can be said? By his false words we have experienced great suffering. Believing his false words to be true, we, suitable for the black person, were like wives of the black deer. Previous she said alam asita-sakhaih: enough with the friends of the black person! The bee says, “O lady! Your lover has sent a message: Dearest! Please be merciful. Do not lament. Please come from there and be merciful to me.” Because we were ignorant, previously, being his wives, we experienced pains of love from the touch of his nails. We believed the words of your cheating friend to be true. When leaving through a messenger he said “I will come back.” (SB 10.41.17) He sent a message from Mathurā through a cowherd, “I will return to see my relatives.” (SB 10.45.23) We experience incomparable pain, maintaining our bodies with hope of his returning. This is lamentation with self pity. Speak of other things. Holding her chest with both hands in pain, for a moment being bewildered, she falls on the ground. That is indicated by the word etat. The bee also left.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Apaishunam (Non-slander)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)
Related verses
Concepts
Dharma

The doe trusts the hunter's flute because the song is sweet — and the arrow follows the song. The gopīs trusted Kṛṣṇa's words the same way. Now even talk of Him cuts like His nails on their skin. 'Speak of something else,' she says. Every cell in her body knows she does not mean it.

📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 47