Shloka 14

The Killing of Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika, and Kaṁsa; Liberation and Restoration of Dharma in Mathurā

Devanagari script

गोप्यस्तप: किमचरन् यदमुष्य रूपंलावण्यसारमसमोर्ध्वमनन्यसिद्धम् । द‍ृग्भि: पिबन्त्यनुसवाभिनवं दुराप-मेकान्तधाम यशस: श्रिय ऐश्वरस्य ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

gopyas tapaḥ kim acaran yad amuṣya rūpaṁ lāvaṇya-sāram asamordhvam ananya-siddham dṛgbhiḥ pibanty anusavābhinavaṁ durāpam ekānta-dhāma yaśasaḥ śriya aiśvarasya

Translation

What austerities must the gopīs have performed! With their eyes they ceaselessly drink the nectar of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s form—the very essence of loveliness, without equal or superior. That form is the sole abode of fame, Śrī, and opulence: self-perfect, ever fresh, and exceedingly rare.

Synonyms

• gopyaḥ: the gopīs
• gopyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gopī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd) एकवचन (Singular)

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• acaran: did (practice)
• acaran: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• yat: which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• amuṣya: of him (that one)
• amuṣya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• rūpam: form, beauty
• rūpam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• lāvaṇya-sāram: the essence of loveliness
• lāvaṇya-sāram: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lāvaṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + sāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive tatpuruṣa: 'essence of beauty')

• asama-ūrdhvam: without equal and without superior
• asama-ūrdhvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-sama (प्रातिपदिक) + ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (copulative: 'unequal and unsurpassed/above')

• ananya-siddham: uniquely perfect
• ananya-siddham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-anya (प्रातिपदिक) + siddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (negative tatpuruṣa: 'not accomplished by another/unique')

• dṛgbhiḥ: with (their) eyes
• dṛgbhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dṛś (प्रातिपदिक: dṛk)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• pibanti: they drink (behold)
• pibanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• anusava-abhinavam: ever-new at every moment
• anusava-abhinavam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anusava (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + abhinava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (adverbial: 'ever anew at each moment')

• durāpam: hard to attain
• durāpam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur-āpya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; दुर्-उपसर्गयुक्त (hard-to-attain)

• ekānta-dhāma: the sole abode
• ekānta-dhāma: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekānta (प्रातिपदिक) + dhāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (descriptive: 'exclusive abode')

• yaśasaḥ: of fame
• yaśasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yaśas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• śriyaḥ: of fortune/beauty
• śriyaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• aiśvarasya: of majesty/power
• aiśvarasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiśvarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

Purport

The word meanings and translation for this verse are from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Caitanya-caritāmṛta ( Ādi 4.156) .

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Gopīs

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the gopīs attaining Kṛṣṇa?

This verse marvels that the gopīs can continuously “drink” Kṛṣṇa’s ever-fresh beauty with their eyes, implying their rare qualification and intense bhakti that grants intimate darśana of the otherwise difficult-to-attain Lord.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī praise Kṛṣṇa’s form as ‘unmatched and unsurpassed’?

Because Kṛṣṇa’s rūpa is described as the very essence of beauty—self-perfect, beyond equal or superior—and as the unique shelter of fame, fortune, and divine sovereignty.

Practical application: what is the takeaway of ‘ever-fresh’ darśana in modern life?

Approach devotion as living and renewing—through sincere nāma-japa, hearing Kṛṣṇa-kathā, and attentive worship—so remembrance becomes “ever new,” not routine.