Shloka 22

Gopī-Vipralambha: The Search for Kṛṣṇa and the Revelation of Divine Footprints

Devanagari script

तत्रैकोवाच हे गोपा दावाग्निं पश्यतोल्बणम् । चक्षूंष्याश्वपिदध्वं वो विधास्ये क्षेममञ्जसा ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

tatraikovāca he gopā dāvāgniṁ paśyatolbaṇam cakṣūṁṣy āśv apidadhvaṁ vo vidhāsye kṣemam añjasā

Translation

Dann sagte eine andere gopī: „Ihr lieben Kuhhirtenjungen, seht dieses wütende Waldfeuer! Schließt schnell die Augen; ich werde euch mühelos in Sicherheit bringen.“

Synonyms

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

• एकः: one (of them)
• एकः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘one (person)’

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• गोपाः: O cowherds (girls)
• गोपाः: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), बहुवचन

• दाव: forest (conflagration)
• दाव: समासाङ्ग (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (as first member of compound)

• अग्निम्: forest-fire
• अग्निम्: कर्म (Karma/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: दाव+अग्नि; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पश्यत: see!
• पश्यत: क्रिया (Imperative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन

• उल्बणम्: terrible/violent
• उल्बणम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उल्बण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• चक्षूंषि: eyes
• चक्षूंषि: कर्म (Karma/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: quickly)

• अपिदध्वम्: cover/close
• अपिदध्वम्: क्रिया (Imperative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अपि+धा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• वः: for you
• वः: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Beneficiary)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Genitive/Dative), बहुवचन; here dative sense ‘for you’

• विधास्ये: I shall provide
• विधास्ये: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+धा (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्षेमम्: safety
• क्षेमम्: कर्म (Karma/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अञ्जसा: easily/at once
• अञ्जसा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अञ्जसा (अव्यय/तृतीया-रूप)
• Form: अव्ययीभूत-तृतीया (adverbial instrumental), ‘easily/straightaway’

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Gopas (cowherd boys)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Kṛṣṇa protecting His devotees from danger?

In this verse Kṛṣṇa instructs the gopas to close their eyes and promises to bring them to safety, showing His swift, personal protection of His devotees.

Why did Kṛṣṇa tell the gopas to close their eyes during the forest fire?

Kṛṣṇa asks them to close their eyes so He can rescue them effortlessly and without fear, emphasizing their dependence on Him and His power to remove danger.

What is a practical application of this shloka in modern life?

When facing overwhelming crises, cultivate trust in the Lord’s guidance—do your duty, but internally “close the eyes” to panic and rely on divine shelter.