Shloka 34

Uddhava’s Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa and the Theology of the Lord’s Disappearance

Devanagari script

शरच्छशिकरैर्मृष्टं मानयन् रजनीमुखम् । गायन् कलपदं रेमे स्त्रीणां मण्डलमण्डन: ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

śarac-chaśi-karair mṛṣṭaṁ mānayan rajanī-mukham gāyan kala-padaṁ reme strīṇāṁ maṇḍala-maṇḍanaḥ

Translation

At the opening of an autumn night washed in moonlight, the Lord—adornment of the circle of women—took delight, singing sweet, enchanting songs.

Synonyms

• शरत्: of autumn
• शरत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; in compound with चशि

• चशि: moon
• चशि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चशि/शशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; in compound with कर

• करैः: with rays
• करैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; ‘with rays/hands’

• मृष्टम्: cleansed, polished
• मृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृज् (धातु) → मृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; qualifying रजनीमुखम्

• मानयन्: honoring, enhancing
• मानयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मान् (धातु) (णिच्) → मानयत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle/शतृ), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘honoring/adorning’

• रजनीमुखम्: the face of night (nightfall)
• रजनीमुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजनीमुख (प्रातिपदिक) [रजनी + मुख]
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• गायन्: singing
• गायन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु) → गायन्त् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle/शतृ), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कलपदम्: sweet notes/words
• कलपदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलपद (प्रातिपदिक) [कल + पद]
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• रेमे: he enjoyed, he sported
• रेमे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• स्त्रीणाम्: of the women
• स्त्रीणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• मण्डलमण्डनः: the ornament of their circle
• मण्डलमण्डनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल-मण्डन (प्रातिपदिक) [मण्डल + मण्डन]
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; ‘ornament of the circle (of women)’

Purport

Before leaving the land of cows, Vṛndāvana, the Lord pleased His young girlfriends, the transcendental gopīs, in His rāsa-līlā pastimes. Here Uddhava stopped his description of the Lord’s activities.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Gopīs

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s moonlit night pastimes?

This verse describes how Kṛṣṇa, amid the autumn moonlight, joyfully engaged in loving pastimes and sang sweetly, becoming the very ornament of the gopīs’ circle.

Who is speaking this verse in Canto 3 Chapter 2, and to whom?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks, narrating to King Parīkṣit, as part of recalling the Lord’s captivating qualities and līlās.

What is the practical application of this verse for modern life?

By hearing and remembering Kṛṣṇa’s beautiful līlās and qualities, one can redirect the mind from worldly agitation to devotional absorption and inner calm.