Shloka 35
व्रजस्य राम: प्रेमर्धेर्वीक्ष्यौत्कण्ठ्यमनुक्षणम् । मुक्तस्तनेष्वपत्येष्वप्यहेतुविदचिन्तयत् ॥ ३५ ॥
vrajasya rāmaḥ premardher vīkṣyautkaṇṭhyam anukṣaṇam mukta-staneṣv apatyeṣv apy ahetu-vid acintayat
As affection increased, the cows of Vraja felt constant longing even for calves already grown and no longer nursing. Seeing this attachment, Lord Balarāma could not discern its cause, and thus He began to ponder within Himself.
The cows had younger calves who had started sucking milk from their mothers, and some of the cows had newly given birth, but now, because of love, the cows enthusiastically showed their affection for the older calves, which had left off milking. These calves were grown up, but still the mothers wanted to feed them. Therefore Balarāma was a little surprised, and He wanted to inquire from Kṛṣṇa about the reason for their behavior. The mothers were actually more anxious to feed the older calves, although the new calves were present, because the older calves were expansions of Kṛṣṇa. These surprising events were taking place by the manipulation of yoga-māyā. There are two māyās working under the direction of Kṛṣṇa — mahā-māyā, the energy of the material world, and yoga-māyā, the energy of the spiritual world. These uncommon events were taking place because of the influence of yoga-māyā. From the very day on which Brahmā stole the calves and boys, yoga-māyā acted in such a way that the residents of Vṛndāvana, including even Lord Balarāma, could not understand how yoga-māyā was working and causing such uncommon things to happen. But as yoga-māyā gradually acted, Balarāma in particular was able to understand what was happening, and therefore He inquired from Kṛṣṇa.
FAQs
This verse states that Balarāma observed the residents of Vraja experiencing an ever-increasing tide of love and longing, a love so extraordinary that it exceeded even their natural affection for their own children and calves.
Because the intensity of their love was becoming unnaturally strong even toward those already grown and weaned; as a knower of the underlying cause, Balarāma contemplated the hidden divine reason behind this phenomenon within Kṛṣṇa’s līlā.
The verse highlights love that grows without material motive; practically, one can cultivate such bhakti by consistent remembrance, serving without expectation of return, and letting devotion deepen steadily “moment by moment.”