Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 21

Garga Muni Names Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; the Butter-Thief Pastimes; Yaśodā Sees the Universe in Kṛṣṇa’s Mouth

Devanagari script

कालेन व्रजताल्पेन गोकुले रामकेशवौ । जानुभ्यां सह पाणिभ्यां रिङ्गमाणौ विजह्रतु: ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

kālena vrajatālpena gokule rāma-keśavau jānubhyāṁ saha pāṇibhyāṁ riṅgamāṇau vijahratuḥ

Translation

After a short time passed, both brothers, Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, began to crawl on the ground of Vraja with the strength of Their hands and knees and thus enjoy Their childhood play.

Synonyms

• kālena: with/by time (after some time)
• kālena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• vrajatā: having passed (in passing)
• vrajatā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrajat (प्रातिपदिक; from √vraj)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘going/elapsed (time)’ as abstract

• alpena: a little
• alpena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: alpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of kālena/vrajatā)

• gokule: in Gokula
• gokule: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gokula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• rāma-keśavau: Rāma and Keśava (Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa)
• rāma-keśavau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma + keśava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (Rāma and Keśava)

• jānubhyām: with (their) knees
• jānubhyām: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahārtha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-इति अव्यय; सहार्थक (with)

• pāṇibhyām: with (their) hands
• pāṇibhyām: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन

• riṅgamāṇau: crawling
• riṅgamāṇau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: riṅg (धातु; denominative/onomatopoetic)
• Form: शतृ/शानच्-वर्तमान कृदन्त (Present Participle, Ātmanepada sense), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘crawling’

• vijahratuḥ: played/sported
• vijahratuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√hṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन

Purport

One brāhmaṇa devotee says:

Characters & Entities

• Balarāma
• Kṛṣṇa (Keśava)
• Gokula

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about baby Krishna crawling in Gokula?

In this verse (10.8.21), Śukadeva describes that after a short time in Gokula, Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa would joyfully play by crawling on their knees, moving with the help of their hands—highlighting Kṛṣṇa’s intimate, humanlike childhood līlā.

Who is speaking Bhagavatam 10.8.21 and to whom?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates this to Mahārāja Parīkṣit as part of the Gokula childhood pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma in Canto 10, Chapter 8.

How can Krishna’s bala-lila be applied in modern devotional life?

This verse invites simple, affectionate remembrance: meditating on Kṛṣṇa’s childlike play softens the heart, nurtures intimacy with Bhagavān, and turns devotion from mere duty into loving relationship.