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Shloka 2

The Vraja Elders Question Kṛṣṇa’s Identity; Nanda Recounts Garga’s Prophecy

बालकस्य यदेतानि कर्माण्यत्यद्भ‍ुतानि वै । कथमर्हत्यसौ जन्म ग्राम्येष्वात्मजुगुप्सितम् ॥ २ ॥

bālakasya yad etāni karmāṇy aty-adbhutāni vai katham arhaty asau janma grāmyeṣv ātma-jugupsitam

Para penggembala berkata: Anak ini melakukan perbuatan yang sungguh luar biasa; bagaimana mungkin Dia layak lahir di kalangan kami orang desa yang duniawi, suatu kelahiran yang bagi-Nya terasa hina?

बालकस्यof the boy
बालकस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootबालक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — of the boy
यत्which/that
यत्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative connector)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — relative pronoun ‘which/that’ (linking)
एतानिthese
एतानि:
Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — these (agreeing with कर्माणि)
कर्माणिacts
कर्माणि:
Karma (कर्म/object)
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — deeds/acts
अति-अद्भुतानिvery marvelous
अति-अद्भुतानि:
Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootअति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — exceedingly wonderful (agreeing with कर्माणि)
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formनिपात/particle — emphasis/assurance
कथम्how
कथम्:
Prashna (प्रश्न/interrogative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम् (अव्यय)
Formप्रश्नाव्यय/interrogative adverb — ‘how?’
अर्हतिis fit/deserves
अर्हति:
Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootअर्ह् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — is fit/deserves
असौhe (that one)
असौ:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootअसद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — that person (he)
जन्मbirth
जन्म:
Karma (कर्म/object)
TypeNoun
Rootजन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — birth
ग्राम्येषुamong rustic folk
ग्राम्येषु:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
TypeAdjective
Rootग्राम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन — among rustic/low (people)
आत्म-जुगुप्सितम्self-deplored
आत्म-जुगुप्सितम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootआत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + जुगुप्सित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √गुप्स्/गुप् ‘to despise’ PPP)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — self-despised/considered contemptible by oneself (qualifying जन्म)

An ordinary living being cannot avoid unpleasant circumstances, but the supreme controller can always make perfect arrangements for His pleasure.

K
Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

This verse highlights the Vraja elders’ wonder: although Kṛṣṇa’s acts are extraordinary, He chooses a simple village setting—showing that the Lord is conquered by pure love and appears where devotion is most intimate.

After witnessing astonishing events around Kṛṣṇa, Nanda questions how such divine, miraculous power could be present in a child living among ordinary cowherd folk—hinting at Kṛṣṇa’s hidden divinity in Vraja.

Do not judge spiritual greatness by external status; divinity and true excellence may appear in humble places—cultivate reverence, simplicity, and devotion rather than pride in social position.