Shloka 22

Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma’s Forest Games and the Slaying of Pralamba

Devanagari script

वहन्तो वाह्यमानाश्च चारयन्तश्च गोधनम् । भाण्डीरकं नाम वटं जग्मु: कृष्णपुरोगमा: ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

vahanto vāhyamānāś ca cārayantaś ca go-dhanam bhāṇḍīrakaṁ nāma vaṭaṁ jagmuḥ kṛṣṇa-purogamāḥ

Translation

Thus carrying one another and being carried, and at the same time tending the cows, the boys followed Kṛṣṇa to a banyan tree known as Bhāṇḍīraka.

Synonyms

• वहन्तः: carrying
• वहन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• वाह्यमानाः: being carried
• वाह्यमानाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शानच्/Present passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चारयन्तः: making (them) graze; herding
• चारयन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रेरण (causative) + वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गोधनम्: the herd of cattle
• गोधनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो-धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव: ‘cattle-wealth’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• भाण्डीरकम्: Bhāṇḍīraka (name of a place/tree)
• भाण्डीरकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाण्डीरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः (indeclinable; ‘by name/called’)

• वटम्: banyan tree
• वटम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• जग्मुः: they went
• जग्मुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (plural)

• कृष्ण-पुरोगमाः: led by Krishna
• कृष्ण-पुरोगमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘having Krishna in front/led by Krishna’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण (they)

Purport

Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī quotes the following verses from Śrī Harivaṁśa ( Viṣṇu-parva 11.18-22), which describe the banyan tree:

Characters & Entities

• Krishna

FAQs

Who is Bhāṇḍīraka and what is the Bhāṇḍīraka banyan tree in Srimad Bhagavatam?

In this verse, Bhāṇḍīraka refers to the famous banyan tree (vaṭa) in Vraja; Krishna and His cowherd friends go there together during their herding pastimes.

What does Srimad Bhagavatam describe about Krishna’s daily life with the cowherd boys?

This verse shows Krishna’s intimate, playful routine—leading His friends as they herd the calves, joking, carrying one another, and roaming the forests of Vraja.

How can devotees apply Krishna’s Vraja pastimes in modern spiritual practice?

By remembering and hearing these simple, affectionate pastimes, one can cultivate closeness to Krishna through sakhya-bhakti and bring a mood of loving service and joy into daily life.