Shloka 38

Gokula’s Wonder, Kṛṣṇa’s Bhakta-vaśyatā, the Move to Vṛndāvana, and the Slaying of Vatsāsura and Bakāsura

Devanagari script

अविदूरे व्रजभुव: सह गोपालदारकै: । चारयामासतुर्वत्सान् नानाक्रीडापरिच्छदौ ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

avidūre vraja-bhuvaḥ saha gopāla-dārakaiḥ cārayām āsatur vatsān nānā-krīḍā-paricchadau

Translation

Not far from their home in Vraja, equipped with many playthings, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma sported with the cowherd boys and began to tend the young calves.

Synonyms

• अविदूरे: not far away, nearby
• अविदूरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अविदूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (locative used adverbially); देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• व्रज-भुवः: of the Vraja-region
• व्रज-भुवः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रज (प्रातिपदिक) + भुव्/भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव् ‘भूमि’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (भू/भुवः); षष्ठी (6th/genitive); एकवचन; ‘व्रजस्य भुवः’ = of the land of Vraja

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक उपपद (with) — तृतीया-सहयोगे प्रयुज्यते

• गोपाल-दारकैः: with the cowherd boys
• गोपाल-दारकैः: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपाल (प्रातिपदिक) + दारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/instrumental); बहुवचन; सह-योगे (in association with)

• चारयाम्: (to) graze (make graze)
• चारयाम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त causative stem (चारय-); तुमुन्-लोप/आमन्त-रूपेण धात्वर्थ-समर्थक अव्यय (cārayām) — ‘to make graze’ (as part of periphrastic perfect construction)

• आसतुः: they did (caused)
• आसतुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (periphrastic perfect auxiliary); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); द्विवचन; परस्मैपदम्; चारयाम् + आसतुः = ‘they caused to graze’

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

• नाना-क्रीडा-परिच्छदौ: having various play-implements
• नाना-क्रीडा-परिच्छदौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + क्रीडा (प्रातिपदिक) + परिच्छद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); द्विवचन; विशेषणम्—‘नानाविध-क्रीडा-परिच्छदौ’ = having various play-things/equipment

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Balarama
• Gopala boys (cowherd boys)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s childhood games in Vraja?

This verse describes Krishna and Balarama going a short distance from Vraja with the cowherd boys to graze calves, carrying various playthings—highlighting the Lord’s sweet, humanlike childhood līlā that devotees meditate upon.

Why are Krishna and Balarama shown grazing calves with the cowherd boys?

In the Vraja narrative, Their daily life is that of cowherd children; by joining the boys and tending calves, They deepen loving relationships (vātsalya and sakhya-rasa) and reveal the intimacy of Vrindavan devotion.

Practical application of remembering Krishna’s Vraja-lila in modern life?

Regularly hearing and remembering these simple, joyful pastimes cultivates affection for God, reduces anxiety, and strengthens steady bhakti through daily contemplation (śravaṇa and smaraṇa).