Shloka 37
Gokula’s Wonder, Kṛṣṇa’s Bhakta-vaśyatā, the Move to Vṛndāvana, and the Slaying of Vatsāsura and Bakāsura
एवं व्रजौकसां प्रीतिं यच्छन्तौ बालचेष्टितै: । कलवाक्यै: स्वकालेन वत्सपालौ बभूवतु: ॥ ३७ ॥
evaṁ vrajaukasāṁ prītiṁ yacchantau bāla-ceṣṭitaiḥ kala-vākyaiḥ sva-kālena vatsa-pālau babhūvatuḥ
Thus, by their childlike play and sweet, half-formed speech, Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma bestowed transcendental delight upon all the people of Vraja; in due course They became fit to tend the calves.
As soon as Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were a little grown up, They were meant for taking care of the calves. Although born of a very well-to-do family, They still had to take care of the calves. This was the system of education. Those who were not born in brāhmaṇa families were not meant for academic education. The brāhmaṇas were trained in a literary, academic education, the kṣatriyas were trained to take care of the state, and the vaiśyas learned how to cultivate the land and take care of the cows and calves. There was no need to waste time going to school to be falsely educated and later increase the numbers of the unemployed. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma taught us by Their personal behavior. Kṛṣṇa took care of the cows and played His flute, and Balarāma took care of agricultural activities with a plow in His hand.
FAQs
This verse says Krishna (with Balarama) increased the Vraja residents’ love through simple childlike behavior and sweet words, showing that bhakti is nourished by His affectionate, intimate pastimes.
He is narrating their natural progression in age and līlā: after early childhood pastimes, they reached the stage where they would go out to the pastures and tend calves, deepening Vraja’s relational devotion.
Cultivate devotion through sweetness and simplicity—gentle speech, innocent sincerity, and loving service—since heartfelt affection (prīti) grows more by genuine demeanor than by display.