Shloka 7

Gokula’s Wonder, Kṛṣṇa’s Bhakta-vaśyatā, the Move to Vṛndāvana, and the Slaying of Vatsāsura and Bakāsura

Devanagari script

गोपीभि: स्तोभितोऽनृत्यद् भगवान्बालवत्‍क्‍वचित् । उद्गायति क्‍वचिन्मुग्धस्तद्वशो दारुयन्त्रवत् ॥ ७ ॥

Transliteration

gopībhiḥ stobhito ’nṛtyad bhagavān bālavat kvacit udgāyati kvacin mugdhas tad-vaśo dāru-yantravat

Translation

Les gopīs, en frappant des mains et en promettant des douceurs, encourageaient Śrī Kṛṣṇa à danser; et bien qu’Il soit le Bhagavān tout-puissant, Il souriait comme un enfant, dansait selon leur désir tel une poupée de bois, et parfois chantait à pleine voix sur leur demande.

Synonyms

• गोपीभिः: by the cowherd women
• गोपीभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• स्तोभितः: being prompted/urged (by chants)
• स्तोभितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तुभ् (धातु) → स्तोभित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि प्रयोगः (past passive participle)

• अनृत्यत्: danced
• अनृत्यत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बालवत्: like a child
• बालवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial usage of -वत्), उपमानार्थ (like/as)

• क्वचित्: sometimes
• क्वचित्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: sometimes/at some place)

• उद्गायति: sings aloud
• उद्गायति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + गै (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्वचित्: sometimes
• क्वचित्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय

• मुग्धः: innocent/naive
• मुग्धः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तद्वशः: under their control
• तद्वशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य वशः = under their control)

• दारुयन्त्रवत्: like a wooden puppet
• दारुयन्त्रवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दारु (प्रातिपदिक) + यन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial -वत्); तत्पुरुष-समास (दारुयन्त्र = wooden puppet/device)

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Gopīs

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna being controlled by devotees?

This verse shows that although Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān, He willingly comes under the influence of the gopīs’ loving affection, behaving like a child who dances and sings at their urging.

Why are the gopīs able to make Krishna dance and sing?

In Vṛndāvana-līlā, their pure, selfless devotion (bhakti) and intimacy (mādhurya/vātsalya) draw Kṛṣṇa into playful obedience, revealing that love binds the Lord more than power or majesty.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Cultivate sincere devotion and simplicity—service done with affection and humility attracts divine grace more than display, status, or mere ritual formality.