Shloka 14

Nanda’s Captivity by Varuṇa and the Revelation of the Spiritual World

Brahma-hrada

Devanagari script

इति सञ्चिन्त्य भगवान् महाकारुणिको हरि: । दर्शयामास लोकं स्वं गोपानां तमस: परम् ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

iti sañcintya bhagavān mahā-kāruṇiko hariḥ darśayām āsa lokaṁ svaṁ gopānāṁ tamasaḥ param

Translation

So erwog der überaus barmherzige Bhagavān Hari alles und offenbarte den Kuhhirten Seine eigene Wohnstatt, jenseits der materiellen Finsternis.

Synonyms

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), quotative particle (इति-प्रयोगः)

• सञ्चिन्त्य: having reflected
• सञ्चिन्त्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from √चिन्त् with prefix सम्; ‘having thought/considered’

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• महाकारुणिकः: greatly compassionate
• महाकारुणिकः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā+कारुणिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying ‘भगवान्’; समासः: कर्मधारय (महान् कारुणिकः)

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); apposition to ‘भगवान्’

• दर्शयामास: showed
• दर्शयामास: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) [णिच् causative]
• Form: Verb; Causative (णिजन्त) of √दृश्; Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Singular (एकवचन); ‘caused to see/showed’

• लोकम्: the world/realm
• लोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन)

• स्वम्: his own
• स्वम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन); possessive adjective agreeing with ‘लोकम्’

• गोपानाम्: of the cowherds
• गोपानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी) Plural (बहुवचन)

• तमसः: from darkness
• तमसः: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (पञ्चमी) Singular (एकवचन)

• परम्: beyond (darkness), supreme
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन); adjective agreeing with ‘लोकम्’; sense ‘beyond/supreme’

Purport

It is clear from this verse that the Absolute Truth dwells in His own eternal abode. Everyone of us tries to live as comfortably as possible, surrounding ourselves with peace and beauty. How can we, in the name of “logic,” begrudge the Supreme Lord, our creator, the supremely beautiful and comfortable abode known by people in general as the kingdom of God?

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Gopāḥ (the cowherd men of Vraja)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about seeing Vaikuṇṭha (the Lord’s abode)?

This verse says Kṛṣṇa, out of great compassion, directly revealed His own transcendental realm to the Vraja cowherds—an abode beyond tamas (ignorance and material darkness).

Why did Kṛṣṇa show His own world to the gopas in Canto 10 Chapter 28?

In this episode, after rescuing and reassuring Nanda and the cowherds, Kṛṣṇa mercifully granted them a direct vision of His transcendental abode, strengthening their faith and revealing the supreme destination beyond the material world.

Practical application: what does “tamasaḥ param” teach in modern life?

It points to moving beyond ignorance through devotion—seeking clarity, purity, and God-centered living—trusting that sincere bhakti invites higher spiritual insight and protection.