Shloka 23

निशम्य विप्रियं कृष्णो मानुषीं प्रकृतिं गत: । विमनस्को घृणी स्‍नेहाद् बभाषे प्राकृतो यथा ॥ २३ ॥

niśamya vipriyaṁ kṛṣṇo mānusīṁ prakṛtiṁ gataḥ vimanasko ghṛṇī snehād babhāṣe prākṛto yathā

Hearing this distressing news, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who was enacting His human līlā, assumed a human mood. Out of love for His parents He became sorrowful and compassionate, and spoke like an ordinary conditioned soul.

niśamyahaving heard
niśamya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
TypeVerb
Rootni-śam (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त), from धातु √शम् with उपसर्ग नि-; indeclinable verbal form
vipriyamunpleasant news/thing
vipriyam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvipriya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
kṛṣṇaḥKrishna
kṛṣṇaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
mānuṣīmhuman
mānuṣīm:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootmānuṣī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with प्रकृतिम्
prakṛtimnature/condition
prakṛtim:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootprakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
gataḥhaving assumed/entered
gataḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootgam (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त) from √गम्; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; with object प्रकृतिम् = 'having assumed/reached'
vimanasakaḥdowncast, distressed
vimanasakaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootvi-manas (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective to कृष्णः
ghṛṇīcompassionate
ghṛṇī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootghṛṇin (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; 'compassionate' (घृणावान्)
snehātout of affection
snehāt:
Hetu (हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootsneha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)
babhāṣespoke
babhāṣe:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootbhāṣ (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
prākṛtaḥas an ordinary man
prākṛtaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootprākṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; adverbial/predicate sense with यथा
yathāas/like
yathā:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमान)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय)
FormIndeclinable; comparative particle/adverb (उपमा/प्रकार)
K
Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

This verse explains that Kṛṣṇa, within His līlā, assumes a human-like disposition and speaks like an ordinary person, even while remaining the Supreme—revealing His compassionate, intimate dealings with devotees.

Because He had heard distressing words and, out of affectionate concern, He adopted a human-like mood—an aspect of His līlā that deepens the realism of the pastimes and His relational closeness.

A devotee can learn to respond to painful news with empathy and steadiness—speaking gently and supportively—while keeping faith that the Divine remains in control beyond shifting emotions.