Shloka 28

Balarāma Visits Vraja: Consoling the Gopīs and Dragging the Yamunā

Devanagari script

राम राम महाबाहो न जाने तव विक्रमम् । यस्यैकांशेन विधृता जगती जगत: पते ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

rāma rāma mahā-bāho na jāne tava vikramam yasyaikāṁśena vidhṛtā jagatī jagataḥ pate

Translation

[Die Göttin Yamunā sprach:] Rāma, Rāma, o du Mächtigarmiger! Ich kenne Deine Heldentat nicht. O Herr des Universums, mit nur einem Teil Deiner selbst trägst Du die Erde.

Synonyms

• राम: O Rāma
• राम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; vocative masculine singular

• राम: O Rāma
• राम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; repeated vocative for emphasis

• महाबाहो: O mighty-armed one
• महाबाहो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबाहु (प्रातिपदिक; महा + बाहु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘महान्तौ बाहू यस्य’

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• जाने: I know
• जाने: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘I know’

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; genitive singular ‘of you/your’

• विक्रमम्: prowess, valor
• विक्रमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; accusative singular

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; genitive singular ‘whose/of whom’

• एक-अंशेन: by a single portion
• एक-अंशेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘एकः अंशः’ → ‘by a single portion’

• विधृता: is sustained
• विधृता: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa / Predicate (विशेषण-रूप क्रियापद)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘held/sustained’ (agreeing with जगती)

• जगती: the earth/world
• जगती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; nominative singular

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; genitive singular ‘of the world’

• पते: O lord
• पते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; vocative singular

Purport

The phrase ekāṁśena (“with a single portion”) refers to the Lord’s expansion as Śeṣa. This is confirmed by the ācāryas.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Balarāma)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Lord Balarama’s power?

This verse praises Balarāma as Jagat-pati, the master of the universe, whose potency sustains the world even by a mere portion of His power.

Why did the gopis say “I do not know Your prowess” to Balarama?

In their devotional humility, the gopīs acknowledge that the Lord’s true greatness is immeasurable and beyond ordinary understanding, even while He appears among them in humanlike pastimes.

What is a practical lesson from this shloka for modern life?

Cultivate humility and gratitude—recognizing that the order and support of life ultimately rests on divine providence, which deepens devotion and reduces ego-centered pride.