Shloka 34

Devanagari script

क्वचिद् धसन्ताव् अन्योन्यं क्रीडमानौ तथापरैः गोपपुत्रैः समं वत्सांश् चारयन्तौ विचेरतुः

Transliteration

kvacid dhasantāv anyonyaṃ krīḍamānau tathāparaiḥ gopaputraiḥ samaṃ vatsāṃś cārayantau viceratuḥ

Translation

Mitunter lachten sie zusammen und spielten miteinander; und mit anderen Hirtenknaben zogen sie umher, während sie die Kälber weideten.

Word by Word

• क्वचित्: sometimes
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/काल-अव्यय (adverb: ‘sometimes/somewhere’)

• धसन्तौ: laughing
• धसन्तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हस् (धातु) → हसन्त् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; पाठभेद/लिप्यन्तर-रूपम् ‘धसन्तौ’ = ‘हसन्तौ’

• अन्योन्यम्: each other (mutually)
• अन्योन्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत् अव्यय (reciprocal adverb), द्वितीया-एकवचन-आकारेण अव्ययीभूतम्

• क्रीडमानौ: playing
• क्रीडमानौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु) → क्रीडमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्/Present middle participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/so/also’)

• अपरैः: with other
• अपरैः: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (गोपपुत्रैः)

• गोपपुत्रैः: with the cowherds’ sons
• गोपपुत्रैः: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप-पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गोपानां पुत्रैः)

• समम्: together
• समम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘together/equally’)

• वत्सान्: calves
• वत्सान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• चारयन्तौ: grazing (making them graze)
• चारयन्तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु) → चारयन्त् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त causative (चारयति), वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• विचेरतुः: they wandered about
• विचेरतुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa lives among the cowherd boys to protect Vraja and to reveal divinity through friendship and shared daily duties.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Communal dharma of Vraja—care, cooperation, and protection of cattle—sustained by the Lord’s presence.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhagavān accepts and elevates ordinary work when it is shared with Him in loving companionship.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Transform routine responsibilities into devotion by doing them with remembrance, joy, and service-minded camaraderie.

Vishishtadvaita: Personal relationship (sakhya) with the Supreme is real and salvific; the Lord is accessible without loss of transcendence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Sakhya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Balarama
• Gopa boys (cowherd boys)
• Vraja
• Calves

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna herding calves in the Vishnu Purana?

It portrays the Supreme Lord (Vishnu as Krishna) choosing humble, intimate village life, revealing divinity through accessible, loving lila rather than through cosmic majesty alone.

How does Sage Parāśara frame Krishna’s childhood play in this chapter?

Parāśara narrates these scenes to Maitreya as purposeful divine play—Krishna and Balarama move among the gopas naturally, while the listener understands their hidden supremacy.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this pastoral context?

The verse emphasizes a key Vaishnava insight: the Supreme Reality is not distant—Vishnu, as Krishna, becomes near, relational, and joy-giving, inviting devotion through sweetness (mādhurya) and companionship.