Shloka 46

Devanagari script

स्वं स्वं वत्सकुलं सर्वे पाययिष्यन्त एकदा । गत्वा जलाशयाभ्याशं पाययित्वा पपुर्जलम् ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

svaṁ svaṁ vatsa-kulaṁ sarve pāyayiṣyanta ekadā gatvā jalāśayābhyāśaṁ pāyayitvā papur jalam

Translation

One day all the boys, including Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, each leading his own group of calves, went to a water reservoir to let them drink. After the calves had drunk, the boys also drank water there.

Synonyms

• स्वम्: one’s own
• स्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (वत्सकुलम्)

• स्वम्: each (his) own
• स्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति—‘each his own’

• वत्स-कुलम्: group/family of calves
• वत्स-कुलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सर्वे: all (of them)
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तृवाचक (the cowherd boys)

• पाययिष्यन्त: would make (them) drink
• पाययिष्यन्त: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाययिṣ् (धातु; √पा causative)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• एकदा: once/at one time
• एकदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having gone)

• जलाशय-अभ्याशम्: near a water-reservoir
• जलाशय-अभ्याशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलाशय + अभ्याश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गन्तव्य-देश (goal as object of motion)

• पाययित्वा: having given (them) water to drink
• पाययित्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पायय् (धातु; √पा causative)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having made drink)

• पपुः: drank
• पपुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam describe about the daily routine of the cowherd boys in Vraja?

This verse describes a simple pastoral routine: the boys bring their calves to a water reservoir, first letting the calves drink and then drinking themselves—part of Kṛṣṇa’s childhood Vraja-līlā setting.

Why is this ordinary act of watering calves included in Krishna Leela narratives?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī highlights Vraja’s natural, affectionate village life to frame Kṛṣṇa’s humanlike childhood pastimes; such details deepen rasa and set the scene for subsequent events in the forest.

What is a practical lesson from this shloka for modern life?

Prioritize care and responsibility—serving dependents first (like the calves) before oneself—cultivating humility and mindful, dharmic living.