Shloka 19

Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma’s Forest Games and the Slaying of Pralamba

Devanagari script

तत्रोपाहूय गोपालान् कृष्ण: प्राह विहारवित् । हे गोपा विहरिष्यामो द्वन्द्वीभूय यथायथम् ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

tatropāhūya gopālān kṛṣṇaḥ prāha vihāra-vit he gopā vihariṣyāmo dvandvī-bhūya yathā-yatham

Translation

Daraufhin rief Kṛṣṇa, der alle Spiele und Sportarten kennt, die Hirtenjungen zusammen und sagte: „He, ihr Gopas! Lasst uns spielen; wir teilen uns, wie es sich gehört, in zwei gleich starke Mannschaften.“

Synonyms

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), देशवाचक (locative adverb: there)

• उपाहूय: having called (together)
• उपाहूय: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + आ + हु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having called/summoned'

• गोपालान्: the cowherd boys
• गोपालान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: क्रिया (Verb; action of Kartā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु; 'to say')
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• विहार-वित्: knower of (proper) play
• विहार-वित्: विशेषण (Qualifier of कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विहार + विद् (प्रातिपदिक; विहार + वित्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: 'विहारं वेत्ति' (knower of play/sport)

• हे: O
• हे: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हे (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-अव्यय (vocative particle)

• गोपाः: cowherd boys
• गोपाः: सम्बोधन (Addressed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विहरिष्यामः: we shall play/sport
• विहरिष्यामः: क्रिया (Verb; action of Kartā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + हृ (धातु; 'to sport/roam')
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• द्वन्द्वी-भूय: having formed pairs (as opponents)
• द्वन्द्वी-भूय: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action / manner)
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्वन्द्विन् (प्रातिपदिक) + भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having become paired/opponents'

• यथा-यथम्: each in proper order/as is fitting
• यथा-यथम्: प्रकार (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + यथम् (अव्यय-समुच्चय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (Avyayībhāva), प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner: as appropriate, in due order)

Purport

The word yathā-yatham means that Kṛṣṇa naturally wanted the two teams to be evenly matched so that there would be a good game. In addition to the pleasure of sporting, the purpose of the game was to kill the demon Pralamba.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Gopāla (cowherd boys)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s playful pastimes with the cowherd boys?

This verse shows Kṛṣṇa joyfully organizing games with His friends in Vṛndāvana, highlighting His intimate, affectionate līlā in sakhya (friendship) rasa.

Why did Krishna call the gopas and ask them to pair off?

Kṛṣṇa, skilled in play, gathers His friends to begin a game arranged in pairs—an expression of His leadership and loving camaraderie with the cowherd boys.

How can devotees apply the lesson of this verse in modern life?

It encourages cultivating simple, pure-hearted relationships centered on Kṛṣṇa, and remembering that devotion can be intimate and joyful—not only formal or austere.