Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 13

Rāsa-līlā Begins; Divine Multiplication; Moral Doubt and Its Resolution

Devanagari script

नृत्यती गायती काचित् कूजन्नूपुरमेखला । पार्श्वस्थाच्युतहस्ताब्जं श्रान्ताधात्स्तनयो: शिवम् ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

nṛtyatī gāyatī kācit kūjan nūpura-mekhalā pārśva-sthācyuta-hastābjaṁ śrāntādhāt stanayoḥ śivam

Translation

Another gopī became fatigued as she danced and sang, the bells on her ankles and waist tinkling. So she placed upon her breasts the comforting lotus hand of Lord Acyuta, who was standing by her side.

Synonyms

• nṛtyatī: dancing
• nṛtyatī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nṛt (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta; śatṛ-pratyaya (present active participle), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• gāyatī: singing
• gāyatī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gai (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta; śatṛ-pratyaya (present active participle), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• kācit: a certain (woman)
• kācit: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; sarvanāma

• kūjan: jingling, tinkling
• kūjan: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kūj (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta; śatṛ-pratyaya (present active participle), Puṁliṅga/Napuṁsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana used adverbially (kriyā-viśeṣaṇa)

• nūpura-mekhalā: (with) anklets and girdle
• nūpura-mekhalā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nūpura (प्रातिपदिक) + mekhalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; dvandva (copulative) in sense: anklets and girdle (as her ornaments)

• pārśva-stha: standing at the side
• pārśva-stha: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pārśva (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: 'pārśve sthita' = standing at the side; (first member of larger compound)

• acyuta: Acyuta (Krishna)
• acyuta: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (implicit)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga; used as proper name (Krishna); (member of compound)

• hasta-abjam: lotus-hand
• hasta-abjam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasta (प्रातिपदिक) + abja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: 'abja iva hastaḥ' = lotus-like hand; forms part of larger compound

• pārśva-stha-acyuta-hasta-abjam: the lotus-hand of Acyuta at her side
• pārśva-stha-acyuta-hasta-abjam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārśva-stha (प्रातिपदिक) + acyuta (प्रातिपदिक) + hasta-abja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (nested): 'pārśva-sthasya acyutasya hasta-abjam' = the lotus-hand of Acyuta who stood at her side

• śrāntā: tired
• śrāntā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √śram (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta (past participle/ktā); Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana (agreeing with kācit)

• adhāt: she placed
• adhāt: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√dhā (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (Imperfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• stanayoḥ: on (her) two breasts
• stanayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: stana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/6th) or Saptamī (Locative/7th), Dvivacana (dual); here locative sense with adhāt: 'on the two breasts'

• śivam: auspiciousness/comfort (a soothing touch)
• śivam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Acyuta)
• Gopīs

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam 10.33.13 say about the gopīs during the Rāsa-līlā?

It describes a gopī dancing and singing as her ornaments chimed, and how—fatigued—she stood near Kṛṣṇa (Acyuta) and placed His lotus hand on her breasts, indicating intimate, ecstatic devotion within the divine līlā.

Who is speaking this verse in the Bhagavatam Rāsa-līlā narration?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating these Rāsa-līlā pastimes to King Parīkṣit.

How should devotees understand intimate descriptions in Krishna Rasa Lila like Bhagavatam 10.33.13?

They are to be understood as transcendental expressions of pure love (prema) in Kṛṣṇa’s divine pastimes, approached with reverence, purity, and guidance from the Bhāgavata’s devotional framework rather than worldly desire.