SB 10.23.16 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

नमो वो विप्रपत्नीभ्यो निबोधत वचांसि न: । इतोऽविदूरे चरता कृष्णेनेहेषिता वयम् ॥ १६ ॥

Verse text

namo vo vipra-patnībhyo nibodhata vacāṁsi naḥ ito ’vidūre caratā kṛṣṇeneheṣitā vayam

Synonyms

namaḥ — obeisances ; vaḥ — unto you ; vipra — patnībhyaḥ — the wives of the brāhmaṇas ; nibodhata — please hear ; vacāṁsi — words ; naḥ — our ; itaḥ — from here ; avidūre — not distant ; caratā — who is going ; kṛṣṇena — by Lord Kṛṣṇa ; iha — here ; iṣitāḥ — sent ; vayam — we .

Translation

[The cowherd boys said:] Obeisances unto you, O wives of the learned brāhmaṇas. Kindly hear our words. We have been sent here by Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is passing by not far from here.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

[The cowherd boys said:] Obeisances unto you, O wives of the learned brāhmaṇas. Kindly hear our words. We have been sent here by Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is passing by not far from here. KB 10.23.16 “Dear mothers, please accept our humble obeisances and hear our statement. May we inform you that Lord Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma are nearby.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

We have been sent by Krsna (isita).

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

Seeing they were devotional as per Kṛṣṇa’s words, they spoke to them with reverence. We offer respects to you, worthy of being respected as wives of brāhmaṇas. Since the wives did not seem to be aware of them they spoke again. Hear our words. Out of respect for the meaning of the words, they use the plural (vacāṁsi). We were sent by Kṛṣṇa, who has attracted your hearts. He is not far away (avidure).

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

They offered respects by saying namo vaḥ. Or they said this in order to test the women’s mood. On hearing the words the women would face the boys if they respected them. They offered respects because the women were wives of brāhmaṇas (vipra-patnibhyaḥ). Or they offered respects again to show their devotion to the wives. Hear (nibodhata) our words. Plural is used to show respect. They speak with natural humility. Nibodhata (be attentive) is used so that they would listen attentively or would hear with joy. We have been sent by Kṛṣṇa, who has attracted your hearts. He is passing nearby.