Shloka 11

Nanda Mahārāja Celebrates Kṛṣṇa’s Birth; Vasudeva Warns of Danger

Devanagari script

गोप्य: सुमृष्टमणिकुण्डलनिष्ककण्ठ्य- श्चित्राम्बरा: पथि शिखाच्युतमाल्यवर्षा: । नन्दालयं सवलया व्रजतीर्विरेजु- र्व्यालोलकुण्डलपयोधरहारशोभा: ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

gopyaḥ sumṛṣṭa-maṇi-kuṇḍala-niṣka-kaṇṭhyaś citrāmbarāḥ pathi śikhā-cyuta-mālya-varṣāḥ nandālayaṁ sa-valayā vrajatīr virejur vyālola-kuṇḍala-payodhara-hāra-śobhāḥ

Translation

Die Gopīs trugen glänzend polierte Edelstein-Ohrringe und Metallmedaillons am Hals, bunte Gewänder und Armreifen; aus ihrem Haar fielen Blumen wie ein Schauer auf den Weg. So zogen sie zum Haus Nandas und strahlten, während Ohrringe, Girlanden und Brüste im Gehen mitschwingen.

Synonyms

• गोप्यः: the gopīs
• गोप्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम्

• सु-मृष्ट-मणि-कुण्डल-निष्क-कण्ठ्यः: wearing well-polished jeweled earrings and necklaces
• सु-मृष्ट-मणि-कुण्डल-निष्क-कण्ठ्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय-उपसर्ग) + मृष्ट (कृदन्त; √मृज् धातु) + मणि (प्रातिपदिक) + कुण्डल (प्रातिपदिक) + निष्क (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम्; समासः: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारय-सन्निकर्षः— ‘well-polished jewel-earrings and gold-necklaces (wearing)’; ‘कण्ठी’ = necklace

• चित्र-अम्बराः: in colorful garments
• चित्र-अम्बराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम्; समासः: कर्मधारयः (चित्रम् अम्बरम् येषाम्/याः)

• पथि: on the road
• पथि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (or पुंलिङ्गे), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्

• शिखा-च्युत-माल्य-वर्षाः: showering garlands fallen from their hair
• शिखा-च्युत-माल्य-वर्षाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिखा (प्रातिपदिक) + च्युत (कृदन्त; √च्यु धातु) + माल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम्; समासः: तत्पुरुषः— ‘garlands (falling) from the hair-tuft, like a shower’ (माल्यानां वर्षः)

• नन्द-आलयम्: Nanda’s house
• नन्द-आलयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्; समासः: तत्पुरुषः (नन्दस्य आलयः)

• स-वलयाः: with bangles
• स-वलयाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय; सह) + वलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम्; समासः: अव्ययीभावः (वलयैः सह) ‘with bangles’

• व्रजतीः: as they were going
• व्रजतीः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present participle) स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचनम्; ‘going/proceeding’ (object of implied seeing/depicting; agrees with गोपीः in sense)

• विरेजुः: shone/appeared splendid
• विरेजुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√राज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• वि-आलोल-कुण्डल-पयोधर-हार-शोभाः: with the beauty of swaying earrings, breasts and necklaces
• वि-आलोल-कुण्डल-पयोधर-हार-शोभाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग) + आलोल (प्रातिपदिक) + कुण्डल (प्रातिपदिक) + पयोधर (प्रातिपदिक) + हार (प्रातिपदिक) + शोभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम्; समासः: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः— ‘having the beauty of swaying earrings, breasts, and necklaces’ (शोभा-प्रधान)

Purport

The description of the gopīs, who were going to the house of Mahārāja Nanda to welcome Kṛṣṇa, is especially significant. The gopīs were not ordinary women, but expansions of Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure potency, as described in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.37,29):

Characters & Entities

• Gopīs
• Nanda Mahārāja

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam describe about the gopīs during Krishna’s birth celebration?

This verse depicts the gopīs beautifully dressed with ornaments, showering flowers as they joyfully proceed to Nanda Mahārāja’s home for the newborn Krishna’s celebration.

Why were the gopīs going to Nanda Mahārāja’s house in Bhagavatam 10.5?

In the context of Nanda Mahārāja’s festivities after Krishna’s appearance in Gokula, the women of Vraja go to his home to participate in the auspicious celebration and offer their affectionate joy.

How can a devotee apply the mood of this shloka in modern life?

By cultivating heartfelt celebration of the Lord—expressing devotion through beauty, gratitude, and community worship—turning sacred occasions into sincere offerings of love rather than mere ritual.