SB 10.38.8 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

यदर्चितं ब्रह्मभवादिभि: सुरै: श्रिया च देव्या मुनिभि: ससात्वतै: । गोचारणायानुचरैश्चरद्वने यद् गोपिकानां कुचकुङ्कुमाङ्कितम् ॥ ८ ॥

Verse text

yad arcitaṁ brahma-bhavādibhiḥ suraiḥ śriyā ca devyā munibhiḥ sa-sātvataiḥ go-cāraṇāyānucaraiś carad vane yad gopikānāṁ kuca-kuṅkumāṅkitam

Synonyms

yat — which (lotus feet) ; arcitam — worshiped ; brahma — bhava — by Brahmā and Śiva ; ādibhiḥ — and other ; suraiḥ — demigods ; śriyā — by Śrī ; ca — also ; devyā — the goddess of fortune ; munibhiḥ — by the sages ; sa — sātvataiḥ — along with the devotees ; go — the cows ; cāraṇāya — for tending ; anucaraiḥ — together with His companions ; carat — moving about ; vane — in the forest ; yat — which ; gopikānām — of the cowherd girls ; kuca — from the breasts ; kuṅkuma — by the red kuṅkuma powder ; aṅkitam — marked .

Translation

Those lotus feet are worshiped by Brahmā, Śiva and all the other demigods, by the goddess of fortune, and also by the great sages and Vaiṣṇavas. Upon those lotus feet the Lord walks about the forest while herding the cows with His companions, and those feet are smeared with the kuṅkuma from the gopīs’ breasts.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Those lotus feet are worshiped by Brahmā, Śiva and all the other demigods, by the goddess of fortune, and also by the great sages and Vaiṣṇavas. Upon those lotus feet the Lord walks about the forest while herding the cows with His companions, and those feet are smeared with the kuṅkuma from the gopīs' breasts. KB 10.38.8 He was thrilled with expectations of seeing the very lotus feet which are worshiped by great demigods like Brahmā, Nārada and Lord Śiva, which traverse the ground of Vṛndāvana, and which touch the breasts of the gopīs, covered with tinges of kuṅkuma. He thought, “I am so fortunate that I will be able to see those very lotus feet on this day, …

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

"Those lotus feet which are worshiped by Brahma and others using aksata, gandha, garlands and other items, those lotus feet which follow after the cows along with his companions, but are followed by Brahma, those lotus feet which, though worshipped by Brahma, are tasting the kumkuma from the breasts of the gopis, I will see today." This illustrates the highest excellence of his feet. One should not say that it was rasabhasa or contrary to rasa for Akrura who is in dasya bhava to aspire to taste madhurya bhava, for this statement is an aside. His father and mother also out of great joy sometimes may utter statements indicating madhurya rasa of their son.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

While thinking of the glories of those lotus feet, he then remembers their quality of being controlled by prema. He speaks with amazement, concluding with the highest excellence of the people of Gokula. Yad should be joined with the previous sentence since this verse acts as its later clause. The word tad is not needed to complete the sentence. It is said yac chabas tūttara-vākya-padārtha-gatatvenopapatteḥ sāmarthāt pūrva-vākyārtha-gatasya tac cabdasopādānaṁ nāpekṣyate: the pronoun yat when occurring in the latter o two correlated clauses, does not require the corresponding word tat in the preceding clause since that is already implied by the word yat. (Kāvya-prakāśa 7.188) Those lotus feet are being worshipped by Brahmā and others, who direct the affairs of the world. This has been down with great intelligence. That is indicated by the verb form arcitam. The past participle can express the present. Ktasya ca vartamāne: the past participle may be used to express the present, with the possessive case. (Pāṇini 2.3.68) Not using the possessive case (instrumental case is used) is poetic license in this verse. The devatās continually worship those feet according to the rules of the scriptures. To confirm that statement, persons situated above and below are also mentioned. Lakṣmī and her associates in Vaikuṇṭha worship those feet. All the devotees (munibhiḥ) in the material world worship those feet, including those perfected and practicing by following the śruti and Purāṇas, along with the followers of Pañcarātra. Those worshippers are necessary. These three types of people have been mentioned in order to show the superiority of the people of Gokula, shown in the second half of the verse. Those feet the object of meditation and worship by the devatās walk in the forest along with the cowherd boys for herding the cows. And more than that, they are marked with the kuṁkuma from the gopīs’ breasts. That is most astonishing. Another version has ārcitam, meaning “spread with.” He only thought of the prema easily available to the gopīs by hearing from Nārada. He did not have the mood of those conjugal pastimes. Since he had dāsya-rāsa, madhurya-rāsa would be rāsābhāsa. When he mentions gopīs he means older gopīs who would take Kṛṣṇa on their chests with parental affection. Gopikānām also represents cowherds as well as the women. He had a realization of the greatness of Gokula by coming close to it.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

He describes the lotus feet in order to show the success of his birth. His feet are being worshipped by Brahmā and others. Or they were worshipped by them, but cannot be worshipped by them now in Vraja. Ādibhiḥ indicates Indra and others. The feet are worshiped by Mahā-lakṣmī, and avatāra of Lakṣmī, who is worshipped by Brahmā and others, who by her merciful glance bestows their wealth. The feet are worshipped by ātmārāmas (munibhiḥ) who have no interest in Lakṣmī’s wealth. The feet are worshipped by devotees. By their association and mercy, the ātmārāmas are able to worship the Lord’s feet. Though his feet are worshipped by the cowherds, that is not constant and at every place. He herds the cows in Vṛnḍavana (vane). Those feet are marked with the kuṁkuma from the gopīs’ breasts. They also worship those feet. Another version has ācitam instead of aṅkitam. The past tense is used to indicate that the feet are always smeared with their kuṁkuma. Or the cowherds do not worship his feet, being friends. He goes with them to the forest. Similarly the gopīs do not worship his feet. His feet are marked with kumkuma from their breasts. In the list starting with Brahmā those later in the list are superior (ending with the gopīs). Indra and others, being secondary are not mentioned directly. Or the mention of Brahmā indicates Kṛṣṇa’s supremacy as a devatā and the Lord. Mention of Lakṣmī indicates his supreme wealth and good fortune. Sages indicates that he is supreme human goal. The devotees indicates his generosity in giving himself and that he is attained only by devotion. Herding cows indicate his great friendship and playfulness. The gopīs indicates his great beauty, cleverness and distribution of special prema. This is explained in Bhāgavatāmṛta.