Text 16
śrī-gopya ūcuḥ
bhajato ’nubhajanty eka
eka etad-viparyayam
nobhayāṁś ca bhajanty eka
etan no brūhi sādhu bhoḥ
śrī-gopyaḥ ūcuḥ — the gopīs said; bhajataḥ — to those who respect them; anu — reciprocally; bhajanti — show respect; eke — some; eke — some; etat — to this; viparyayam — the contrary; na ubhayān — with neither; ca — and; bhajanti — reciprocate; eke — some; etat — this; naḥ — to us; brūhi — speak; sādhu — properly; bhoḥ — O dear one.
The gopīs said: Some people reciprocate the affection only of those who are affectionate toward them, while others show affection even to those who are indifferent or inimical. And yet others will not show affection toward anyone. Dear Kṛṣṇa, please properly explain this matter to us.
By this apparently polite question, the gopīs want to expose Lord Kṛṣṇa’s failure to properly reciprocate their love. They were very disturbed when Śrī Kṛṣṇa left them in the forest, and they want to know why He caused them to suffer in these loving affairs.