Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

रामसङ्घट्टिनो यर्हि श्रीदामवृषभादय: । क्रीडायां जयिनस्तांस्तानूहु: कृष्णादयो नृप ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

rāma-saṅghaṭṭino yarhi śrīdāma-vṛṣabhādayaḥ krīḍāyāṁ jayinas tāṁs tān ūhuḥ kṛṣṇādayo nṛpa

Translation

My dear King Parīkṣit, whenever Śrīdāmā, Vṛṣabha and the others on Balarāma’s side won these games, Kṛṣṇa and His companions had to carry them.

Synonyms

• राम-सङ्घट्टिनः: those paired/contending with Rama
• राम-सङ्घट्टिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्घट्टिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• यर्हि: when
• यर्हि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यर्हि (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: when)

• श्रीदाम-वृषभ-आदयः: Śrīdāma, Vṛṣabha and others
• श्रीदाम-वृषभ-आदयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीदाम (प्रातिपदिक) + वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार/गणवाचक-तत्पुरुष (‘Śrīdāma, Vṛṣabha, etc.’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• क्रीडायाम्: in the game
• क्रीडायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (singular)

• जयिनः: winners
• जयिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जयिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (plural)

• तान्: those (same)
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

• ऊहुः: carried
• ऊहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (plural); रूप: ऊहुः (from वह् ‘to carry’)

• कृष्ण-आदयः: Krishna and others
• कृष्ण-आदयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (‘Krishna and others’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन (singular)

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Balarāma (Rāma)
• Śrīdāmā
• Vṛṣabha
• Mahārāja Parīkṣit

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s games with the cowherd boys?

This verse describes the friendly rivalry in Vṛndāvana: when Balarāma’s team (including Śrīdāmā and Vṛṣabha) won, Kṛṣṇa and His friends would call out and challenge them, showing intimate, affectionate play (sakhya).

Why are Śrīdāmā and Vṛṣabha mentioned with Balarāma’s side in Canto 10?

Śukadeva highlights how the cowherd boys naturally formed teams around Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma during play; their “siding” is not hostility but loving, spontaneous friendship in Vraja-līlā.

How can Krishna’s playful rivalry be applied in modern life?

It teaches that competition can be kept pure—free from envy—when rooted in affection, humility, and joy, turning ordinary interactions into a spirit of harmony and devotion.