Shloka 24

Utthāna Ceremony, Śakaṭa-bhañga, Tṛṇāvarta-vadha, and the Vision of the Universe in Kṛṣṇa’s Mouth

Devanagari script

इति खरपवनचक्रपांशुवर्षे सुतपदवीमबलाविलक्ष्य माता । अतिकरुणमनुस्मरन्त्यशोचद् भुवि पतिता मृतवत्सका यथा गौ: ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

iti khara-pavana-cakra-pāṁśu-varṣe suta-padavīm abalāvilakṣya mātā atikaruṇam anusmaranty aśocad bhuvi patitā mṛta-vatsakā yathā gauḥ

Translation

Im Staubregen, den der heftige Wirbelwind aufwühlte, fand Yaśodā keine Spur ihres Sohnes. Wie eine Kuh, die ihr Kalb verloren hat, stürzte sie zu Boden und klagte herzzerreißend.

Synonyms

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थ-अव्यय (quotative/thus)

• खर-पवन-चक्र-पांशु-वर्षे: in the shower of dust from the fierce wind-whirl
• खर-पवन-चक्र-पांशु-वर्षे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर (प्रातिपदिक) + पवन (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पांशु (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष): खरः पवनः (violent wind) तस्य चक्रम् (whirl) तस्मात् पांशूनां वर्षः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; locative singular

• सुत-पदवीम्: the child’s track/whereabouts
• सुत-पदवीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक) + पदवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: सुतस्य पदवी (path/track of the child); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular

• अबला: the helpless woman (Yaśodā)
• अबला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अबला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

• अविलक्ष्य: not perceiving
• अविलक्ष्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-लक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘not noticing/without perceiving’

• माता: the mother
• माता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

• अतिकरुणम्: very piteously
• अतिकरुणम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + करुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास: अतिकरुणम् = अत्यन्तं करुणम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• अनुस्मरन्ती: remembering
• अनुस्मरन्ती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with माता/अबला

• अशोचत्: lamented
• अशोचत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुच् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada

• भुवि: on the ground
• भुवि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भूमि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; locative singular

• पतिता: fallen down
• पतिता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with माता

• मृत-वत्सका: whose calf is dead (bereft of her child)
• मृत-वत्सका: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि: मृतः वत्सकः यस्याः सा; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with माता

• यथा: like/as
• यथा: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• गौः: a cow
• गौः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

Characters & Entities

• Yaśodā
• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Mother Yaśodā’s love for Kṛṣṇa during danger?

This verse shows Yaśodā’s vātsalya-bhakti: when Kṛṣṇa disappears in the dust storm, she collapses in grief, remembering Him intensely—like a cow bereft of her calf.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī compare Yaśodā to a cow whose calf has died?

To convey the depth of her maternal anguish: unable to see Kṛṣṇa’s whereabouts in the swirling dust, her sorrow becomes instinctive and overwhelming, mirroring a cow’s natural lament when separated from her young.

How can devotees apply this teaching in modern life when facing sudden crises?

In confusion and fear (like the dust storm), the verse emphasizes remembering the Lord with heartfelt intensity; turning to prayer and remembrance steadies the mind and deepens dependence on Kṛṣṇa’s protection.