Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 4

Aghāsura-vadha: The Killing and Deliverance of Aghāsura

Devanagari script

फलप्रबालस्तवकसुमन:पिच्छधातुभि: । काचगुञ्जामणिस्वर्णभूषिता अप्यभूषयन् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

phala-prabāla-stavaka- sumanaḥ-piccha-dhātubhiḥ kāca-guñjā-maṇi-svarṇa- bhūṣitā apy abhūṣayan

Translation

Although all these boys were already decorated by their mothers with ornaments of kāca, guñjā, pearls and gold, when they went into the forest they further decorated themselves with fruits, green leaves, bunches of flowers, peacock feathers and soft minerals.

Synonyms

• फलप्रबालस्तवकसुमनःपिच्छधातुभिः: with fruits, tender shoots, flower-clusters, flowers, feathers, and minerals
• फलप्रबालस्तवकसुमनःपिच्छधातुभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल+प्रबाल+स्तवक+सुमनस्+पिच्छ+धातु (प्रातिपदिक-समाहार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural ‘with fruits, sprouts, clusters, flowers, feathers, minerals’

• काचगुञ्जामणिस्वर्णभूषिताः: adorned with glass, guñjā-berries, gems, and gold
• काचगुञ्जामणिस्वर्णभूषिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काच+गुञ्जा+मणि+स्वर्ण+भूषित (प्रातिपदिक; भूष्-क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; past passive participle used adjectivally ‘adorned with…’

• अपि: also / even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (concessive/emphatic)

• अभूषयन्: they decorated (themselves/one another)
• अभूषयन्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भूष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘they adorned’

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• cowherd boys (sakhās)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s cowherd boys decorating themselves in the forest?

In Canto 10, Chapter 12, this verse describes the gopas playfully adorning themselves with fruits, flowers, peacock feathers, and minerals—showing the spontaneous, joyful mood of Vraja life centered on Kṛṣṇa.

Why are peacock feathers, flowers, and guñjā berries mentioned in Krishna’s Vrindavan leela?

They highlight Vraja’s natural simplicity and affectionate play: the boys use readily available forest gifts as ornaments, expressing intimacy with Kṛṣṇa and delight in His company.

Practical application: what can devotees learn from this shloka today?

Offer devotion with simplicity and joy—using whatever is available (time, attention, natural beauty, sincere service) to remember and please Kṛṣṇa, rather than relying only on external grandeur.