Shloka 61
Brahmā’s Prayers to Lord Kṛṣṇa (Brahmā-stuti) and the Restoration of Vraja’s Lunch Pastime
एवं विहारै: कौमारै: कौमारं जहतुर्व्रजे । निलायनै: सेतुबन्धैर्मर्कटोत्प्लवनादिभि: ॥ ६१ ॥
evaṁ vihāraiḥ kaumāraiḥ kaumāraṁ jahatur vraje nilāyanaiḥ setu-bandhair markaṭotplavanādibhiḥ
Thus the two boys spent their childhood in Vraja in youthful games—hide-and-seek, building play bridges, leaping like monkeys, and many other pastimes.
According to Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, the word nilāyanaiḥ refers to games such as hide-and-go-seek or cops and robbers. Sometimes the boys would jump around like the monkeys in Lord Rāmacandra’s army and then enact the building of the bridge to Śrī Laṅkā by constructing play bridges in lakes or ponds. Sometimes the boys would imitate the pastime of churning the Ocean of Milk, and sometimes they would play catch with balls. We can find full pleasure in the spiritual world, with the simple condition that everything be performed in pure love of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
FAQs
This verse describes Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma spending their early boyhood in Vraja through playful sports like hide-and-seek, building small bridges, and jumping about like monkeys—revealing the sweetness of the Lord’s humanlike līlā.
In the flow of Canto 10, Chapter 14, Śukadeva highlights the Lord’s intimate Vraja-līlā—His natural, childlike activities that enchant devotees and contrast with Brahmā’s awe-filled realization of Kṛṣṇa’s supreme divinity.
Remembering Kṛṣṇa’s simple, joyful pastimes encourages a devotee to cultivate innocence, humility, and affectionate remembrance (smaraṇa-bhakti), making spiritual life warm and personal rather than merely abstract.