Shloka 5

The Kātyāyanī-vrata, the Stealing of the Gopīs’ Garments, and Kṛṣṇa’s Teaching on Purified Desire

Devanagari script

एवं मासं व्रतं चेरु: कुमार्य: कृष्णचेतस: । भद्रकालीं समानर्चुर्भूयान्नन्दसुत: पति: ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

evaṁ māsaṁ vrataṁ ceruḥ kumāryaḥ kṛṣṇa-cetasaḥ bhadrakālīṁ samānarcur bhūyān nanda-sutaḥ patiḥ

Translation

So hielten die Mädchen einen ganzen Monat lang ihr Gelübde ein, den Geist ganz auf Kṛṣṇa gerichtet. Sie verehrten die Göttin Bhadrakālī ordnungsgemäß, mit dem innigen Wunsch: „Möge der Sohn Nandas mein Gemahl werden.“

Synonyms

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• māsam: for a month
• māsam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); duration (कालाधिकरणार्थे द्वितीया)

• vratam: vow
• vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ceruḥ: they observed/practised
• ceruḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• kumāryaḥ: the maidens
• kumāryaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kṛṣṇa-cetasaḥ: whose minds were fixed on Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇa-cetasaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग) Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying kumāryaḥ (as ‘whose minds are on Kṛṣṇa’)

• bhadrakālīm: Bhadrakālī
• bhadrakālīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadrakālī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) proper-name compound; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• samānarcuḥ: they duly worshipped
• samānarcuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-arc (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• bhūyān: may (he) become / may there be
• bhūyān: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Optative/benedictive sense; desiderative of result expressed by Vedic-style optative adjective: ‘bhūyān’ = ‘may (he) be’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• nanda-sutaḥ: the son of Nanda
• nanda-sutaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nanda (प्रातिपदिक) + suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• patiḥ: (as) husband
• patiḥ: Pradhāna-nāma (प्रधाना संज्ञा/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate nominative with implied ‘be’

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Nanda
• Bhadrakālī
• the gopī maidens (kumārīs)

FAQs

What is the Kātyāyanī-vrata mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.22?

It is a month-long vow performed by the unmarried gopī maidens, worshiping the goddess (here Bhadrakālī/Kātyāyanī) with the prayer that Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda, become their husband—expressing their single-minded devotion to Him.

Why did the gopīs worship Bhadrakālī to attain Kṛṣṇa as their husband?

In the narrative, the young gopīs follow a traditional vrata and worship, but their real intent is unwavering bhakti—Kṛṣṇa is the sole object of their hearts, and the worship is offered with the desire to belong to Him completely.

How can this verse be applied in modern spiritual life?

It teaches focused devotion and disciplined practice: choose a sincere sādhana (regular vow/commitment), keep the mind fixed on the Lord, and let all supportive rituals strengthen that single-pointed remembrance.