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Shloka 32

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

Brahma-vimohana-līlā

गोपास्तद्रोधनायासमौघ्यलज्जोरुमन्युना । दुर्गाध्वकृच्छ्रतोऽभ्येत्य गोवत्सैर्दद‍ृशु: सुतान् ॥ ३२ ॥

gopās tad-rodhanāyāsa- maughya-lajjoru-manyunā durgādhva-kṛcchrato ’bhyetya go-vatsair dadṛśuḥ sutān

Para gembala sapi berusaha menahan sapi-sapi itu namun gagal; karena itu mereka sekaligus merasa malu dan marah. Dengan susah payah menuruni jalan yang terjal, ketika sampai dan melihat putra-putra mereka di tengah sapi dan anak sapi, mereka pun diliputi kasih sayang yang besar.

gopāḥthe cowherd boys
gopāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootgopa (गोप प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन
tad-rodhana-āyāsa-maughya-lajjā-uru-manyunāwith great anger due to shame, foolishness, and the fatigue of trying to stop them
tad-rodhana-āyāsa-maughya-lajjā-uru-manyunā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम) + rodhana (रोधन प्रातिपदिक) + āyāsa (आयास प्रातिपदिक) + maughya (मौघ्य प्रातिपदिक) + lajjā (लज्जा प्रातिपदिक) + uru (उरु प्रातिपदिक) + manyu (मन्यु प्रातिपदिक)
Formबहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative chain): ‘by (their) great anger (arising) from shame at foolishness and fatigue of trying to stop them’; पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental) एकवचन
durga-adhva-kṛcchrataḥafter (coming) from the hardship of the difficult path
durga-adhva-kṛcchrataḥ:
Apādāna (अपादान)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootdurga (दुर्ग प्रातिपदिक) + adhvan (अध्वन् प्रातिपदिक) + kṛcchra (कृच्छ्र प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाव: ‘from the hardship of a difficult path’; पञ्चमी-भाव (ablatival adverb)
abhyetyahaving arrived
abhyetya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootabhi-√i (अभि + इ धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive); ‘having come near/arrived’
go-vatsaiḥtogether with the cows and calves
go-vatsaiḥ:
Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
TypeNoun
Rootgo (गो) + vatsa (वत्स)
Formद्वन्द्व (itaretara): ‘cows and calves’; तृतीया बहुवचन
dadṛśuḥthey saw
dadṛśuḥ:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootdṛś (दृश् धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचन
sutāntheir sons
sutān:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsuta (सुत प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन

Everyone was increasing in affection for Kṛṣṇa. When the cowherd men coming down from the hill saw their own sons, who were no one else than Kṛṣṇa, their affection increased.

G
Gopas (cowherd men)
C
Cowherd boys (their sons)
C
Calves

FAQs

The cowherd men return exhausted and upset after struggling to control the cows, and they unexpectedly see their sons together with the calves—setting the stage for the revelation of Krishna’s divine arrangement during Brahmā’s test.

They felt frustrated and embarrassed because their efforts to restrain the cows were ineffective, and the difficulty of the forest path intensified their fatigue and irritation.

Even sincere effort may fail when a higher divine plan is at work; devotees can learn patience, humility, and trust that Krishna’s arrangement ultimately protects and reunites what is dear.