Shloka 4

The Brāhmaṇas’ Wives Blessed (Brāhmaṇa-patnī-prasāda) — Ritualism Humbled by Bhakti

Devanagari script

तत्र गत्वौदनं गोपा याचतास्मद्विसर्जिता: । कीर्तयन्तो भगवत आर्यस्य मम चाभिधाम् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

tatra gatvaudanaṁ gopā yācatāsmad-visarjitāḥ kīrtayanto bhagavata āryasya mama cābhidhām

Translation

Wenn ihr dort ankommt, liebe Hirtenknaben, bittet einfach um Speise als von Uns Gesandte. Nennt den Namen Meines älteren Bruders, des Bhagavān Balarāma, und auch Meinen Namen, und erklärt, dass ihr von Uns geschickt wurdet.

Synonyms

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: देशाधिकरण (Locative adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Absolutive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (Gerund/Absolutive)

• ओदनम्: cooked rice/food
• ओदनम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• गोपाः: the cowherds
• गोपाः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• याचत: ask/beg
• याचत: क्रिया (आज्ञा/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: याच् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• अस्मत्-विसर्जिताः: dispatched by us
• अस्मत्-विसर्जिताः: विशेषण (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + विसर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः ('sent by us'); प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्, पुल्लिङ्गम्; विशेषणम् (qualifies gopāḥ)

• कीर्तयन्तः: glorifying/reciting
• कीर्तयन्तः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्तय् (धातु; √कीर्त् + णिच्) ; कीर्तयत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमाने कृदन्तम् (Present active participle/शतृ), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्, पुल्लिङ्गम्

• भगवतः: of the Lord
• भगवतः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• आर्यस्य: of the noble one (Balarāma)
• आर्यस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• मम: of me / my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• अभिधाम्: name/appellation
• अभिधाम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Purport

Lord Kṛṣṇa encouraged His boyfriends to request charity without being embarrassed. In case the boys felt they had no right to personally approach such respectable brāhmaṇas, the Lord told them to mention the names of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa, the holy names of God.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Balarāma
• Gopas (cowherd boys)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about chanting Krishna’s names during daily work?

This verse shows the gopas chanting the Lord’s names even while carrying out an errand, highlighting kīrtana as natural, continuous devotion woven into ordinary activity.

Why were the cowherd boys sent to beg for cooked rice in Canto 10 Chapter 23?

In this episode, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma send the gopas to request food from brāhmaṇas performing a sacrifice, setting the stage to reveal who truly understands devotion and compassion.

Practical application of kirtana from this shloka in modern life?

Keep a steady practice of remembrance—soft japa, listening to bhajans, or mentally repeating the holy names—so spiritual focus continues alongside work and responsibilities.