Shloka 5

The Gopīs Glorify the Song of Kṛṣṇa’s Flute

Veṇu-gīta

Devanagari script

बर्हापीडं नटवरवपु: कर्णयो: कर्णिकारं बिभ्रद् वास: कनककपिशं वैजयन्तीं च मालाम् । रन्ध्रान् वेणोरधरसुधया पूरयन्गोपवृन्दै- र्वृन्दारण्यं स्वपदरमणं प्राविशद् गीतकीर्ति: ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

barhāpīḍaṁ naṭa-vara-vapuḥ karṇayoḥ karṇikāraṁ bibhrad vāsaḥ kanaka-kapiśaṁ vaijayantīṁ ca mālām randhrān veṇor adhara-sudhayāpūrayan gopa-vṛndair vṛndāraṇyaṁ sva-pada-ramaṇaṁ prāviśad gīta-kīrtiḥ

Translation

Adorned with a peacock-feather crest, blue karṇikāra flowers at His ears, a yellow garment shining like gold, and the Vaijayantī garland, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa—revealing the form of the greatest dancer—entered the forest of Vṛndāvana, beautifying it with the marks of His footprints. With the nectar of His lips He filled the holes of His flute, while the cowherd boys sang His glories.

Synonyms

• बर्ह-आपीडम्: a peacock-feather crown
• बर्ह-आपीडम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बर्ह (प्रातिपदिक) + आपीड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (बर्हस्य आपीडः)

• नट-वर-वपुः: whose form was that of the best dancer
• नट-वर-वपुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नट (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक) + वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (नटः चासौ वरः—तस्य वपुः)

• कर्णयोः: of (his) two ears
• कर्णयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन; ‘of (his) two ears’

• कर्णिकारम्: a karṇikāra flower
• कर्णिकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णिकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (a karṇikāra flower)

• बिभ्रत्: wearing/bearing
• बिभ्रत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘bearing/wearing’

• वासः: a garment
• वासः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; वस्त्र (garment)

• कनक-कपिशम्: golden-brown
• कनक-कपिशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कनक (प्रातिपदिक) + कपिश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘golden-brown’ (qualifies वासः)

• वैजयन्तीम्: the Vaijayantī (garland)
• वैजयन्तीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैजयन्ती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (the Vaijayantī garland)

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

• मालाम्: a garland
• मालाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• रन्ध्रान्: the holes/openings
• रन्ध्रान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रन्ध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• वेणोः: of the flute
• वेणोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘of the flute’

• अधर-सुधया: with the nectar of (his) lips
• अधर-सुधया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर (प्रातिपदिक) + सुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अधरस्य सुधा)

• पूरयन्: filling
• पूरयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूर् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘filling’

• गोप-वृन्दैः: with groups of cowherd boys
• गोप-वृन्दैः: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक) + वृन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गोपानां वृन्दम्)

• वृन्द-अरण्यम्: Vṛndāvana forest
• वृन्द-अरण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; नामधेय-तत्पुरुषः (वृन्दस्य अरण्यम्)

• स्व-पद-रमणम्: delightful to his own feet
• स्व-पद-रमणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + रमण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘स्वस्य पदस्य रमणम्’ (delightful to his feet/steps) (qualifies वृन्दारण्यम्)

• प्राविशत्: entered
• प्राविशत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√विश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘entered’

• गीत-कीर्तिः: he whose fame is sung
• गीत-कीर्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक) + कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘गीता कीर्तिर्यस्य सः’ (he whose fame is sung)

Purport

The gopīs remembered all the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa mentioned in this verse. Kṛṣṇa’s artful way of dressing and the beautiful blue flowers placed over His ears excited the gopīs’ romantic desires, and as He poured the nectar of His lips into His flute, they simply lost themselves in ecstatic love for Him.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Gopa-vṛnda (cowherd boys)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s flute in Canto 10 Chapter 21?

This verse says Kṛṣṇa fills the holes of His flute with the nectar of His lips, emphasizing the flute as an instrument of divine attraction that draws all hearts toward Him in Vṛndāvana.

Who is describing Krishna’s appearance in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.21.5?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī describes Kṛṣṇa’s peacock feather, karṇikāra flower, golden garments, and Vaijayantī garland while narrating to Mahārāja Parīkṣit.

How can devotees apply the mood of this verse in modern life?

By remembering Kṛṣṇa’s beauty and pastimes—especially through nāma-saṅkīrtana and attentive hearing—one can redirect the mind from worldly attraction to loving devotion centered on Vṛndāvana’s Lord.