Shloka 19

Brahmā’s Bewilderment and Kṛṣṇa Becoming the Calves and Cowherd Boys

Brahma-vimohana-līlā

Devanagari script

यावद् वत्सपवत्सकाल्पकवपुर्यावत् कराङ्‌‌घ्र्यादिकं यावद् यष्टिविषाणवेणुदलशिग् यावद् विभूषाम्बरम् । यावच्छीलगुणाभिधाकृतिवयो यावद् विहारादिकं सर्वं विष्णुमयं गिरोऽङ्गवदज: सर्वस्वरूपो बभौ ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

yāvad vatsapa-vatsakālpaka-vapur yāvat karāṅghry-ādikaṁ yāvad yaṣṭi-viṣāṇa-veṇu-dala-śig yāvad vibhūṣāmbaram yāvac chīla-guṇābhidhākṛti-vayo yāvad vihārādikaṁ sarvaṁ viṣṇumayaṁ giro ’ṅga-vad ajaḥ sarva-svarūpo babhau

Translation

વાસુદેવ-સ્વરૂપે શ્રીકૃષ્ણે એકસાથે જેટલા ગુમ થયેલા વાછરડા અને ગોપબાળકો હતા એટલી સંખ્યામાં પોતાને વિસ્તરાવ્યો—તેમના દેહલક્ષણો, હાથ-પગ વગેરે અંગો, લાકડી, શિંગ, વેણુ, ભોજનથેલી, વસ્ત્ર-આભૂષણોની ગોઠવણી, નામ, વય, રૂપ, ગુણ-શીલ અને રમતો—બધું જ યથાવત્. આ રીતે કૃષ્ણે ‘સમગ્ર જગત વિષ্ণુમય છે’ એ વચન સાબિત કર્યું.

Synonyms

• yāvat: as far as; to the extent that
• yāvat: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), परिमाण/अवधि-बोधक (extent/limit marker)

• vatsapa-vatsaka-ālpaka-vapuḥ: the body (form) as calf-herd, calf, and the like
• vatsapa-vatsaka-ālpaka-vapuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsapa + vatsaka + ālpaka + vapuḥ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (singular); समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (collective dvandva)

• yāvat: as far as; up to
• yāvat: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), परिमाण/अवधि-बोधक (extent marker)

• kara-aṅghri-ādikam: hands, feet, etc.
• kara-aṅghri-ādikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara + aṅghri + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular); ādika-शब्दः ‘etc.’ (ending with -ādika)

• yāvat: as far as; up to
• yāvat: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), परिमाण/अवधि-बोधक

• yaṣṭi-viṣāṇa-veṇu-dala-śik: staff, horn, flute, leaf, and crest (peacock-feather), etc.
• yaṣṭi-viṣāṇa-veṇu-dala-śik: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yaṣṭi + viṣāṇa + veṇu + dala + śik (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular); समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (collective: staff, horn, flute, leaf, peacock-feather/crest)

• yāvat: as far as; up to
• yāvat: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), परिमाण/अवधि-बोधक

• vibhūṣā-ambaram: ornamental clothing
• vibhūṣā-ambaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhūṣā + ambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular); कर्मधारयः (ornamental garment)

• yāvat: as far as; up to
• yāvat: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), परिमाण/अवधि-बोधक

• śīla-guṇa-abhidhā-ākṛti-vayaḥ: conduct, qualities, name, appearance, and age
• śīla-guṇa-abhidhā-ākṛti-vayaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīla + guṇa + abhidhā + ākṛti + vayaḥ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular); समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (collective: conduct, qualities, name, form, age)

• yāvat: as far as; up to
• yāvat: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), परिमाण/अवधि-बोधक

• vihāra-ādikam: pastimes and so on
• vihāra-ādikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vihāra + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular); ādika-शब्दः ‘etc.’

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• viṣṇumayam: consisting of Viṣṇu; pervaded by Viṣṇu
• viṣṇumayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣṇu + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular); मयट्-प्रत्ययान्त (made of/consisting of)

• giraḥ: words; speech
• giraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gir (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• aṅga-vat: as if (they were) limbs
• aṅga-vat: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aṅga + vat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), उपमानवाचक (comparative particle)

• ajaḥ: the unborn (Lord)
• ajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• sarva-svarūpaḥ: having all forms; of every form
• sarva-svarūpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• babhau: appeared; became
• babhau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

Purport

As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.33) :

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna expanding as the calves and cowherd boys?

This verse states that every detail of the calves and boys—their bodies, limbs, ornaments, names, qualities, ages, and activities—became Viṣṇu-maya, revealing to Brahmā that Kṛṣṇa had expanded as all of them.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe everything as 'Viṣṇu-maya' to King Parīkṣit?

To show the theological point of Brahma-vimohana-līlā: Kṛṣṇa is non-different from Viṣṇu and can manifest unlimited forms, so Brahmā’s illusion was dispelled by directly seeing the Lord’s all-pervading supremacy.

Practical application of seeing 'Viṣṇu-maya' in modern life?

The takeaway is to cultivate God-centered vision: recognize the Lord’s presence behind all situations and beings, which reduces pride and anxiety and strengthens steady devotion (bhakti).