Shloka 15

Kṛṣṇa Swallows the Forest Fire (Dāvāgni-līlā) and Restores the Herd

Devanagari script

गा: सन्निवर्त्य सायाह्ने सहरामो जनार्दन: । वेणुं विरणयन् गोष्ठमगाद् गोपैरभिष्टुत: ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

gāḥ sannivartya sāyāhne saha-rāmo janārdanaḥ veṇuṁ viraṇayan goṣṭham agād gopair abhiṣṭutaḥ

Translation

Comme l’après-midi touchait à sa fin, le Seigneur Janārdana Kṛṣṇa, accompagné de Balarāma, fit retourner les vaches vers la maison. Jouant de Sa flûte d’une manière particulière, Il revint au village des bouviers au milieu des chants de louange de Ses amis gopas.

Synonyms

• gāḥ: the cows
• gāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• sannivartya: having brought back
• sannivartya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ni-vṛt (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having turned back/returned (them)’

• sāyāhne: in the evening
• sāyāhne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāya-āhna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सायं + अह्न) ‘evening-time’

• saha-rāmaḥ: together with Rāma
• saha-rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saha (अव्यय) + rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (सह रामेण) ‘together with Rāma’

• janārdanaḥ: Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa)
• janārdanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विष्णु-नाम

• veṇum: the flute
• veṇum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• viraṇayan: playing (sounding)
• viraṇayan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-raṇ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘sounding/playing’

• goṣṭham: the cowherd-village
• goṣṭham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: goṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• agāt: went
• agāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (aorist), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• gopaiḥ: by the cowherds
• gopaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gopa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• abhiṣṭutaḥ: praised
• abhiṣṭutaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-stu (धातु)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्यय: क्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘praised’

Characters & Entities

• Janārdana (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Balarāma
• Gopas

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna returning to the village after cowherding?

This verse describes Kṛṣṇa, with Balarāma, bringing the cows back at dusk while playing His flute and being praised by the gopas—showing His sweet, intimate Vraja-līlā.

Why are the gopas praising Krishna in this verse?

Because Kṛṣṇa’s presence, leadership in the forest pastimes, and the enchanting music of His flute fill the cowherd boys with joy and devotion, prompting spontaneous glorification.

How can Krishna’s flute and daily pastimes be applied in modern devotional life?

By remembering Kṛṣṇa’s simple, loving Vraja activities and regularly hearing/chanting about them, one brings the mind back to God at day’s end—cultivating steady bhakti amid modern routines.