Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 10 - Chapter 1 - Verse 29


Sanskrit:

कृत्वा मुखान्यव शुच: श्वसनेन शुष्यद्-बिम्बाधराणि चरणेन भुव: लिखन्त्य: ।अस्रैरुपात्तमसिभि: कुचकुङ्कुमानितस्थुर्मृजन्त्य उरुदु:खभरा: स्म तूष्णीम् ॥ २९ ॥

ITRANS:

kṛtvā mukhāny ava śucaḥ śvasanena śuṣyadbimbādharāṇi caraṇena bhuvaḥ likhantyaḥasrair upātta-masibhiḥ kuca-kuṅkumānitasthur mṛjantya uru-duḥkha-bharāḥ sma tūṣṇīm

Translation:

Their heads hanging down and their heavy, sorrowful breathing drying up their reddened lips, the gopīs scratched the ground with their toes. Tears flowed from their eyes, carrying their kajjala and washing away the vermilion smeared on their breasts. Thus they stood, silently bearing the burden of their unhappiness.

Purport:

The gopīs felt, “If Kṛṣṇa has not been conquered by our love, then our love must not be genuine. And if we cannot properly love Kṛṣṇa, what is the use of our lives?” Their reddish lips were drying up because of the hot breathing that arose from their unhappiness. When the hot sun dries ripe red bimba fruits, dark spots appear on them and they grow soft. The beautiful lips of the gopīs similarly changed in appearance. They stood silently before Kṛṣṇa, unable to speak.