jarini | जारिणी
Jarini (Devanagari: जारिणी; ISO 15919: jāriṇī) refers to a female paramour.
It is the feminine form of Jaar. A common synonym is Vyabhicharini (Devanagari: व्यभिचारिणी; ISO 15919: vyabhicāriṇī).
Contextual Usage
- Worldly: In a social context, these terms are often used deprecatingly to describe a promiscuous or unchaste woman.
- Spiritual: However, Sage Ved Vyas uses this term in the Srimad Bhagavatam to describe the Gopis. This characterizes their intense love for Shri Krishna, akin to a married woman’s passion for a paramour (Parakiya Bhava).
Despite this worldly connotation, the spiritual status of the Gopis is so exalted that the supreme governors of the universe (brahmand)—Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva—long to attain the dust of their feet.