Shloka 38

The Kātyāyanī-vrata, the Stealing of the Gopīs’ Garments, and Kṛṣṇa’s Teaching on Purified Desire

Devanagari script

तस्या उपवने कामं चारयन्त: पशून् नृप । कृष्णरामावुपागम्य क्षुधार्ता इदमब्रुवन् ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

tasyā upavane kāmaṁ cārayantaḥ paśūn nṛpa kṛṣṇa-rāmāv upāgamya kṣudh-ārtā idam abravan

Translation

ഹേ രാജാവേ, യമുനാതീരത്തിലെ ആ ചെറിയ വനത്തിൽ ഗോപബാലകർ നിസ്സംഗമായി പശുക്കളെ മേയിച്ചു. എന്നാൽ വിശപ്പാൽ പീഡിതരായി അവർ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണനും ബലരാമനും സമീപിച്ച് ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു.

Synonyms

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• उपवने: in the grove
• उपवने: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचनम्

• कामम्: as they wished
• कामम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (adverbial: 'at will/according to desire')

• चारयन्तः: grazing (driving to pasture)
• चारयन्तः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु) + णिच्; चारयत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमाने कृदन्तम् (Present active participle/शतृ), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्, पुल्लिङ्गम्

• पशून्: the cattle
• पशून्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/द्वितीया), बहुवचनम्

• नृप: O king
• नृप: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचनम्

• कृष्ण-रामौ: Krishna and Rama
• कृष्ण-रामौ: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासः (copulative); प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/प्रथमा), द्विवचनम्, पुल्लिङ्गम्

• उपागम्य: having approached
• उपागम्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Absolutive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (prior action)

• क्षुधा-आर्ताः: afflicted by hunger
• क्षुधा-आर्ताः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधा (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (instrumental/causal sense: 'by hunger afflicted'); प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्, पुल्लिङ्गम्

• इदम्: this (speech)
• इदम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• अब्रुवन्: they said
• अब्रुवन्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

Purport

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī explains that the cowherd boys were concerned that Kṛṣṇa would be hungry, and thus they feigned their own hunger so that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would make suitable arrangements to eat.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Balarāma
• Cowherd boys (gopa-kumāras)
• King Parīkṣit

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna caring for the cowherd boys in Vraja?

This verse shows the intimate Vraja relationship: the boys freely approach Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma with their needs—here, hunger—revealing Kṛṣṇa as their close friend and protector in His pastoral pastimes.

Why did the cowherd boys approach Krishna and Balarama in Canto 10 Chapter 22?

They were distressed by hunger while grazing the animals in the forest grove, so they came to Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to express their situation and seek help.

What is a practical lesson from this shloka for modern devotional life?

Approach the Lord with simplicity and trust—bring your real needs to Him directly, cultivating a personal relationship rather than a distant, formal one.