Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

श्यामसुन्दर ते दास्य: करवाम तवोदितम् । देहि वासांसि धर्मज्ञ नो चेद् राज्ञे ब्रुवाम हे ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

śyāmasundara te dāsyaḥ karavāma tavoditam dehi vāsāṁsi dharma-jña no ced rājñe bruvāma he

Translation

Wahai Syamasundara, kami adalah hamba-Mu dan mesti melakukan apa sahaja yang Engkau katakan. Tetapi kembalikanlah pakaian kami. Engkau mengetahui prinsip-prinsip agama, dan jika Engkau tidak memberikan pakaian kami, kami terpaksa memberitahu raja.

Synonyms

• श्यामसुन्दर: O dark-handsome one
• श्यामसुन्दर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्याम (प्रातिपदिक) + सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय समास: ‘श्यामः सुन्दरः’ (dark and handsome); पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• दास्यः: (we are) maidservants
• दास्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दासी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• करवाम: let us two do / we two shall do
• करवाम: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष, द्विवचन (1st person dual)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उदितम्: what is said/commanded
• उदितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्-इ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त past participle) ‘उदित’ used substantively; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देहि: give
• देहि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वासांसि: garments
• वासांसि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• धर्म-ज्ञ: O knower of dharma
• धर्म-ज्ञ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘धर्मं जानाति’ (knower of dharma); पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नः: of us/our
• नः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Hetu/Śarta-bodhaka (हेतु/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional particle: if)

• राज्ञे: to the king
• राज्ञे: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• ब्रुवाम: let us two tell
• ब्रुवाम: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष, द्विवचन

• हे: O!
• हे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हे (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

Characters & Entities

• Krishna (Śyāmasundara)
• Gopīs
• King (the local ruler of Vraja/Mathurā realm)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about surrender to Krishna in the gopīs’ pastime?

In this verse the gopīs openly identify themselves as Krishna’s maidservants and agree to follow His instruction, showing wholehearted surrender even while requesting their clothes back.

Why did the gopīs say this to Krishna and mention telling the king?

Krishna had taken their garments during their Kātyāyanī-vrata bath; the gopīs, feeling shy, plead for their clothes and—half in protest, half in playful bargaining—say they will complain to the king if He does not return them.

What is a practical application of this shloka in modern life?

It teaches sincere accountability and humility: accept guidance from the Divine, but also speak honestly and respectfully when boundaries, dignity, or dharma feel challenged.