Shloka 13

The Gopīs Glorify the Song of Kṛṣṇa’s Flute

Veṇu-gīta

Devanagari script

गावश्च कृष्णमुखनिर्गतवेणुगीत- पीयूषमुत्तभितकर्णपुटै: पिबन्त्य: । शावा: स्‍नुतस्तनपय:कवला: स्म तस्थु- र्गोविन्दमात्मनि द‍ृशाश्रुकला: स्पृशन्त्य: ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

gāvaś ca kṛṣṇa-mukha-nirgata-veṇu-gīta pīyūṣam uttabhita-karṇa-puṭaiḥ pibantyaḥ śāvāḥ snuta-stana-payaḥ-kavalāḥ sma tasthur govindam ātmani dṛśāśru-kalāḥ spṛśantyaḥ

Translation

Las vacas beben el néctar del canto de la flauta que brota de la boca de Kṛṣṇa, alzando sus orejas como vasijas. Los terneros, con la boca llena de leche de los húmedos pezones maternos, quedan inmóviles y, con ojos colmados de lágrimas, acogen a Govinda en su interior y lo abrazan en el corazón.

Synonyms

• gāvaḥ: cows
• gāvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative 1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• kṛṣṇa-mukha-nirgata-veṇu-gīta: the flute-song that issued from Krishna’s mouth
• kṛṣṇa-mukha-nirgata-veṇu-gīta: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक) + nirgata (कृदन्त; √gam/√nir-gam) + veṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + gīta (कृदन्त; √gai)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—“कृष्णमुखात् निर्गतं वेणुगीतं” इति

• pīyūṣam: nectar
• pīyūṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pīyūṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); उपमेय/विशेष्यरूपेण पूर्वपदस्य विशेषणम्

• uttabhita-karṇa-puṭaiḥ: with (their) upraised ear-cavities
• uttabhita-karṇa-puṭaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttabhita (कृदन्त; √stambh/√stabhi ‘to stiffen/raise’) + karṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + puṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental 3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः तत्पुरुषः—“उत्तभितैः कर्णपुटैः”

• pibantyaḥ: drinking
• pibantyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (धाातु)
• Form: वर्तमाने वर्तमानकाले (Present), शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• śāvāḥ: calves
• śāvāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• snuta-stana-payaḥ-kavalāḥ: having mouthfuls of milk flowing from the udders
• snuta-stana-payaḥ-kavalāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: snuta (कृदन्त; √snu ‘to ooze/flow’) + stana (प्रातिपदिक) + payas (प्रातिपदिक) + kavala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः तत्पुरुषः—“स्नुतं स्तनपयः, तस्य कवलाः” (mouthfuls of milk flowing from the udder)

• sma: indeed/then (narrative particle)
• sma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sma (अव्यय)
• Form: स्म-निपात (particle indicating past/narrative emphasis)

• tasthuḥ: stood still
• tasthuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• govindam: Govinda
• govindam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: govinda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ātmani: in (their) mind/within themselves
• ātmani: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी (Loc. 7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• dṛśā-aśru-kalāḥ: with tears in (their) eyes
• dṛśā-aśru-kalāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛś (प्रातिपदिक ‘eye/sight’) + aśru (प्रातिपदिक) + kalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः तत्पुरुषः—“दृशा (नेत्रेण) अश्रुकलाः” (having tear-drops in the eyes)

• spṛśantyaḥ: touching
• spṛśantyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √spṛś (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमाने (Present), शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Govinda

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the power of Krishna’s flute (veṇu) in Vrindavan?

This verse says Kṛṣṇa’s flute-song is like nectar: the cows ‘drink’ it through their ears, become motionless in absorption, and show prema through tears—revealing the flute’s power to awaken pure devotion.

Why is Śukadeva Gosvāmī describing cows and calves in the Venu-gita section?

In Canto 10 Chapter 21, Śukadeva narrates how all of Vraja responds to Kṛṣṇa’s flute. The cows and calves are highlighted to show that even animals in Vṛndāvana display the highest devotional ecstasy when touched by Kṛṣṇa’s presence and sound.

How can I apply the teaching of this shloka in modern life?

Practice ‘drinking with the ears’ by attentive hearing—regularly listen to Bhagavatam, kīrtana, and Kṛṣṇa’s names with focused mind; absorption and softened heart (tears, humility, inner remembrance) are signs the sound is reaching the heart.