Shloka 53
Gokula’s Wonder, Kṛṣṇa’s Bhakta-vaśyatā, the Move to Vṛndāvana, and the Slaying of Vatsāsura and Bakāsura
मुक्तं बकास्यादुपलभ्य बालका रामादय: प्राणमिवेन्द्रियो गण: । स्थानागतं तं परिरभ्य निर्वृता: प्रणीय वत्सान् व्रजमेत्य तज्जगु: ॥ ५३ ॥
muktaṁ bakāsyād upalabhya bālakā rāmādayaḥ prāṇam ivendriyo gaṇaḥ sthānāgataṁ taṁ parirabhya nirvṛtāḥ praṇīya vatsān vrajam etya taj jaguḥ
Just as the senses are pacified when consciousness and life return, so when Kṛṣṇa was freed from this danger, all the boys, including Balarāma, thought that their life had been restored. They embraced Kṛṣṇa in good consciousness, and then they collected their own calves and returned to Vrajabhūmi, where they declared the incident loudly.
It was the practice of the inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi to compose poetry about the incidents that occurred in the forest when Kṛṣṇa performed His different activities of killing the asuras. They would compose all the stories in poetry or have this done by professional poets, and then they would sing about these incidents. Thus it is written here that the boys sang very loudly.
FAQs
This verse shows the Vraja boys experiencing intense relief and joy when Kṛṣṇa is freed from Bakāsura’s beak, highlighting that the Lord personally protects those who are lovingly connected to Him.
They had feared losing Him; seeing Him safe felt like their life returning, so they naturally embraced Him in gratitude and affection.
Cultivate steady remembrance and trust that the Divine can carry one through sudden dangers; respond to protection and grace with gratitude, community sharing, and renewed devotion.