Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 14

The Killing of Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika, and Kaṁsa; Liberation and Restoration of Dharma in Mathurā

Devanagari script

गोप्यस्तप: किमचरन् यदमुष्य रूपंलावण्यसारमसमोर्ध्वमनन्यसिद्धम् । द‍ृग्भि: पिबन्त्यनुसवाभिनवं दुराप-मेकान्तधाम यशस: श्रिय ऐश्वरस्य ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

gopyas tapaḥ kim acaran yad amuṣya rūpaṁ lāvaṇya-sāram asamordhvam ananya-siddham dṛgbhiḥ pibanty anusavābhinavaṁ durāpam ekānta-dhāma yaśasaḥ śriya aiśvarasya

Translation

ਗੋਪੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਕਿਹੋ ਜਿਹਾ ਤਪ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੋਵੇਗਾ ਕਿ ਉਹ ਅੱਖਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਸਦਾ ਸ੍ਰੀਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਨ ਦੇ ਉਸ ਰੂਪ-ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨੂੰ ਪੀਂਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ—ਜੋ ਲਾਵਣ੍ਯ ਦਾ ਸਾਰ ਹੈ, ਜਿਸ ਦੇ ਬਰਾਬਰ ਜਾਂ ਉੱਪਰ ਕੁਝ ਨਹੀਂ। ਉਹ ਰੂਪ ਯਸ਼, ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਅਤੇ ਐਸ਼ਵਰ੍ਯ ਦਾ ਇਕੋ ਧਾਮ ਹੈ—ਸਵੈ-ਸਿੱਧ, ਨਿੱਤ ਨਵਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਅਤਿ ਦੁਲੱਭ।

Synonyms

• gopyaḥ: the gopīs
• gopyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gopī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd) एकवचन (Singular)

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• acaran: did (practice)
• acaran: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• yat: which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• amuṣya: of him (that one)
• amuṣya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• rūpam: form, beauty
• rūpam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• lāvaṇya-sāram: the essence of loveliness
• lāvaṇya-sāram: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lāvaṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + sāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive tatpuruṣa: 'essence of beauty')

• asama-ūrdhvam: without equal and without superior
• asama-ūrdhvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-sama (प्रातिपदिक) + ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (copulative: 'unequal and unsurpassed/above')

• ananya-siddham: uniquely perfect
• ananya-siddham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-anya (प्रातिपदिक) + siddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (negative tatpuruṣa: 'not accomplished by another/unique')

• dṛgbhiḥ: with (their) eyes
• dṛgbhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dṛś (प्रातिपदिक: dṛk)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• pibanti: they drink (behold)
• pibanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• anusava-abhinavam: ever-new at every moment
• anusava-abhinavam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anusava (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + abhinava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (adverbial: 'ever anew at each moment')

• durāpam: hard to attain
• durāpam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur-āpya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; दुर्-उपसर्गयुक्त (hard-to-attain)

• ekānta-dhāma: the sole abode
• ekānta-dhāma: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekānta (प्रातिपदिक) + dhāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (descriptive: 'exclusive abode')

• yaśasaḥ: of fame
• yaśasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yaśas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• śriyaḥ: of fortune/beauty
• śriyaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• aiśvarasya: of majesty/power
• aiśvarasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiśvarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

Purport

The word meanings and translation for this verse are from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Caitanya-caritāmṛta ( Ādi 4.156) .

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Gopīs

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the gopīs attaining Kṛṣṇa?

This verse marvels that the gopīs can continuously “drink” Kṛṣṇa’s ever-fresh beauty with their eyes, implying their rare qualification and intense bhakti that grants intimate darśana of the otherwise difficult-to-attain Lord.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī praise Kṛṣṇa’s form as ‘unmatched and unsurpassed’?

Because Kṛṣṇa’s rūpa is described as the very essence of beauty—self-perfect, beyond equal or superior—and as the unique shelter of fame, fortune, and divine sovereignty.

Practical application: what is the takeaway of ‘ever-fresh’ darśana in modern life?

Approach devotion as living and renewing—through sincere nāma-japa, hearing Kṛṣṇa-kathā, and attentive worship—so remembrance becomes “ever new,” not routine.