Shloka 25

Kṛṣṇa Comforts His Parents, Restores Ugrasena, Studies with Sāndīpani, and Returns the Guru’s Son

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तस्तौ परिष्वज्य नन्द: प्रणयविह्वल: । पूरयन्नश्रुभिर्नेत्रे सह गोपैर्व्रजं ययौ ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

ity uktas tau pariṣvajya nandaḥ praṇaya-vihvalaḥ pūrayann aśrubhir netre saha gopair vrajaṁ yayau

Translation

Hearing Kṛṣṇa’s words, Nanda Mahārāja was overwhelmed with affection. With tears filling his eyes, he embraced the two Lords and then returned to Vraja with the cowherd men.

Synonyms

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• uktaḥ: having been addressed
• uktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘said/spoken to’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tau: those two
• tau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), द्विवचन (dual)

• pariṣvajya: having embraced
• pariṣvajya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: svaj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘pari+svaj’ = having embraced

• nandaḥ: Nanda
• nandaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• praṇaya-vihvalaḥ: overwhelmed with affection
• praṇaya-vihvalaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praṇaya (प्रातिपदिक) + vihvala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कारण: प्रणयेन विह्वलः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nandaḥ qualifies

• pūrayan: filling
• pūrayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pṝ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle) ‘filling’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• aśrubhiḥ: with tears
• aśrubhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचन

• netre: (his) two eyes
• netre: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), द्विवचन (dual)

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सहकारक अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable)

• gopaiḥ: with the cowherds
• gopaiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gopa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचन

• vrajam: to Vraja
• vrajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vraja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yayau: went
• yayau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī has written an extensive purport to this verse, elaborately analyzing this portion of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. Just as a man places his valuable gold within fire to reveal its purity, the Lord placed His most beloved devotees, the residents of Vṛndāvana, in the fire of separation from Him in order to manifest their supreme love. This is the essence of Ācārya Viśvanātha’s comments.

Characters & Entities

• Nanda
• Kṛṣṇa
• Balarāma
• Gopas (cowherd men)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about Nanda Maharaja’s love for Krishna?

This verse shows Nanda’s vatsalya-bhakti: he embraces Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma and leaves with tear-filled eyes, revealing his overwhelming parental affection even amid separation.

Why did Nanda Maharaja return to Vraja after meeting Krishna and Balarama?

After being addressed and consoled in the Mathurā context, Nanda—still overcome with love—embraced them and then departed with the cowherd men back to Vraja, carrying the pain and sweetness of separation.

How can this shloka be applied in modern devotional life?

It teaches that genuine devotion is heartfelt and relational—expressed through love, gratitude, and surrender—even when one must accept separation or life’s duties.