Shloka 28

Nārada Sees Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Yoga-māyā in the Palaces of the Queens

Dvāra-kā-līlā

Devanagari script

कुत्रचिद्‌‌द्विजमुख्येभ्यो ददतं गा: स्वलङ्कृता: । इतिहासपुराणानि श‍ृण्वन्तं मङ्गलानि च ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

kutracid dvija-mukhyebhyo dadataṁ gāḥ sv-alaṅkṛtāḥ itihāsa-purāṇāni śṛṇvantaṁ maṅgalāni ca

Translation

An einem Ort schenkte Er erlesen geschmückte Kühe den vornehmsten Brāhmaṇas; an einem anderen hörte Er die glückverheißenden Erzählungen der Itihāsas und Purāṇas.

Synonyms

• कुत्रचित्: somewhere
• कुत्रचित्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुत्रचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘कस्मिंश्चित् स्थाने’

• द्विज-मुख्येभ्यः: to the foremost brahmins
• द्विज-मुख्येभ्यः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष: ‘मुख्याः द्विजाः’ (chief brahmins); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), बहुवचन

• ददतम्: (him) giving
• ददतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) → ददत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गाः: cows
• गाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• सु-अलङ्कृताः: well-adorned
• सु-अलङ्कृताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + अलङ्कृत (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: उपसर्गपूर्वक क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘गाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (intended: गाः ... अलङ्कृताः)

• इतिहास-पुराणानि: epics and purāṇas
• इतिहास-पुराणानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतिहास (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: ‘इतिहासानि च पुराणानि च’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• शृण्वन्तम्: (him) listening
• शृण्वन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → शृण्वत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• मङ्गलानि: auspicious (accounts/words)
• मङ्गलानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; ‘शृण्वन्तम्’ इत्यस्य कर्म

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī informs us that giving cows in charity occurs in the morning, while hearing the histories takes place in the afternoon.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• brāhmaṇas (dvija-mukhya)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about giving cows in charity?

This verse depicts Śrī Kṛṣṇa giving beautifully decorated cows to qualified brāhmaṇas, presenting go-dāna as an auspicious act aligned with dharma and welfare.

Why does Krishna listen to Itihasas and Puranas if He is the Supreme Lord?

In His humanlike pastimes, Kṛṣṇa models ideal conduct—honoring sacred narrations and demonstrating that hearing auspicious spiritual histories is purifying and dharma-supporting for society.

How can I apply this verse in modern life according to bhakti?

Practice thoughtful charity to worthy causes and regularly hear or study sacred teachings (Bhāgavatam/Itihāsa-Purāṇa), making “giving” and “hearing” steady parts of daily spiritual life.