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Shloka 16

Paugaṇḍa Cowherding, Tālavana, the Slaying of Dhenukāsura, and Revival from Poisoned Yamunā Water

क्‍वचित् पल्लवतल्पेषु नियुद्धश्रमकर्शित: । वृक्षमूलाश्रय: शेते गोपोत्सङ्गोपबर्हण: ॥ १६ ॥

kvacit pallava-talpeṣu niyuddha-śrama-karśitaḥ vṛkṣa-mūlāśrayaḥ śete gopotsaṅgopabarhaṇaḥ

Kadang-kadang, letih kerana bergusti, Śrī Kṛṣṇa berbaring di pangkal pokok di atas hamparan ranting dan pucuk yang lembut, dengan pangkuan sahabat gopāla sebagai bantal kepala-Nya.

क्वचित्sometimes
क्वचित्:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootक्वचित् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, काल/देशवाचक: ‘sometimes’
पल्लव-तल्पेषुon beds of tender leaves
पल्लव-तल्पेषु:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa; location)
TypeNoun
Rootपल्लव (प्रातिपदिक) + तल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमास: तत्पुरुष ‘पल्लवानां तल्पाः’; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; अधिकरण
नियुद्ध-श्रम-कर्शितःworn out by the fatigue of wrestling
नियुद्ध-श्रम-कर्शितः:
कर्ता (Karta; subject—qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootनियुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्शित (कृदन्त; √कृश्/कर्श् धातु)
Formसमास: तत्पुरुष ‘नियुद्धेन श्रमेण कर्शितः’; कृदन्त-विशेषण (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
वृक्ष-मूल-आश्रयःone resting at the root of a tree
वृक्ष-मूल-आश्रयः:
कर्ता (Karta; subject)
TypeNoun
Rootवृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमास: तत्पुरुष ‘वृक्षस्य मूलम् आश्रयः’ (one who takes shelter at a tree-root); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
शेतेlies down / rests
शेते:
क्रिया (Kriyā)
TypeVerb
Root√शी (धातु)
Formलट् (Present/लट्), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन
गोप-उत्सङ्ग-उपबर्हणः(he) whose cushion is the cowherds’ laps
गोप-उत्सङ्ग-उपबर्हणः:
कर्ता (Karta; appositive)
TypeNoun
Rootगोप (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + उपबर्हण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमास: तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृपद-अप्पोजिशन (apposition)

The word pallava-talpeṣu implies that Lord Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself into many forms and lay down upon the many beds of twigs, leaves and flowers hastily constructed by His enthusiastic cowherd friends.

Ś
Śrī Kṛṣṇa
G
Gopas (cowherd boys)

FAQs

It describes that after playful wrestling, Kṛṣṇa sometimes lay down under a tree on a bed of soft leaves, taking a cowherd boy’s lap as His pillow—showing His intimate friendship (sakhya-rasa) with His devotees.

To highlight the sweetness of Kṛṣṇa’s Vṛndāvana līlā—He lives simply like the cowherd boys, accepting their loving service and revealing how the Supreme Lord becomes controlled by pure affection.

Cultivate a personal, trusting relationship with Kṛṣṇa through daily remembrance, speaking to Him sincerely in prayer, and serving with affection rather than formality—bringing warmth and steadiness to one’s spiritual practice.