Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 11

Rāsa-līlā Begins; Divine Multiplication; Moral Doubt and Its Resolution

Devanagari script

तत्रैकांसगतं बाहुं कृष्णस्योत्पलसौरभम् । चन्दनालिप्तमाघ्राय हृष्टरोमा चुचुम्ब ह ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

tatraikāṁsa-gataṁ bāhuṁ kṛṣṇasyotpala-saurabham candanāliptam āghrāya hṛṣṭa-romā cucumba ha

Translation

There Kṛṣṇa placed His arm upon a gopī’s shoulder—an arm naturally fragrant like the blue lotus, mingled with the scent of sandal paste. Relishing that aroma, her hair stood on end in joy, and she kissed His arm.

Synonyms

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; deśa-adhikaraṇa (locative adverb)

• eka-aṁsa-gatam: resting on one shoulder
• eka-aṁsa-gatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + aṁsa (प्रातिपदिक) + gata (√gam, धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta (past participle 'gata'); Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana agreeing with bāhum; tatpuruṣa: 'eka-aṁse gata' = gone/placed on one shoulder

• bāhum: arm
• bāhum: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• kṛṣṇasya: of Krishna
• kṛṣṇasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• utpala-saurabham: having lotus-like fragrance
• utpala-saurabham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: utpala (प्रातिपदिक) + saurabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana agreeing with bāhum; tatpuruṣa: 'utpalasya saurabham' = lotus-fragrance

• candana-āliptam: smeared with sandal paste
• candana-āliptam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: candana (प्रातिपदिक) + ā-lipta (√lip, धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta (past passive participle 'āliptá'); Napuṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana agreeing with bāhum; tatpuruṣa: 'candanenāliptam' = smeared with sandal

• āghrāya: having smelled
• āghrāya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√ghrā (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta; absolutive/gerund (ktvā-anta): having smelled

• hṛṣṭa-romā: (she) with thrilled/erect hairs
• hṛṣṭa-romā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛṣṭa (√hṛṣ, धातु) + roman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi: 'yasya romāṇi hṛṣṭāni' = one whose hairs stood on end; Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana (the gopī)

• cucumba: she kissed
• cucumba: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cumb (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• ha: indeed
• ha: Nipāta (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; smaraṇa/vismaya-sūcaka nipāta (particle indicating emphasis/indeed)

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Gopī (one of the Vraja gopīs)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam (10.33.11) say about the gopīs’ love for Kṛṣṇa?

It depicts a gopī’s intimate, reverent affection—her ecstatic bodily response and loving gesture—showing the depth of prema-bhakti centered solely on Kṛṣṇa.

Who is speaking this verse in the Rāsa-līlā chapter?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates these confidential pastimes to Mahārāja Parīkṣit while describing the rāsa dance in Vṛndāvana.

Practical application: what can a devotee learn from this verse today?

It teaches focused devotion—absorbing the mind and senses in remembrance of Kṛṣṇa with purity and reverence—while honoring these pastimes as sacred, not mundane.