Shloka 4

Kṛṣṇa’s Queens, Their Sons, and Balarāma’s Victory over Rukmī at Dice

Aniruddha–Rocanā Marriage Context

Devanagari script

स्मायावलोकलवदर्शितभावहारि- भ्रूमण्डलप्रहितसौरतमन्त्रशौण्डै: । पत्न्‍यस्तु षोडशसहस्रमनङ्गबाणै- र्यस्येन्द्रियं विमथितुं करणैर्न शेकु: ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

smāyāvaloka-lava-darśita-bhāva-hāri bhrū-maṇḍala-prahita-saurata-mantra-śauṇḍaiḥ patnyas tu śoḍaśa-sahasram anaṅga-bāṇair yasyendriyaṁ vimathitum karaṇair na śekuḥ

Translation

As sobrancelhas arqueadas das dezesseis mil rainhas, com sorrisos recatados e olhares de soslaio, revelavam intenções secretas como ousadas mensagens conjugais; contudo, nem com essas “flechas” de Cupido nem por outros meios conseguiram agitar os sentidos do Senhor Kṛṣṇa.

Synonyms

• smāyā: smile
• smāyā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smāyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; compound member

• avaloka: look/glance
• avaloka: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avaloka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; compound member

• lava: a little/particle
• lava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; compound member

• darśita: shown
• darśita: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; PPP 'shown'; compound member

• bhāva: emotion
• bhāva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; compound member

• hāri: captivating
• hāri: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd—तृतीया), Plural; adjective 'captivating' qualifying implied 'upāyaiḥ/ceṣṭitaiḥ' etc.; in compound: smāyā-avaloka-lava-darśita-bhāva-hāriḥ → hāri-bhiḥ (here hāri-...-śauṇḍaiḥ overall instrumental plural)

• bhrū: eyebrow
• bhrū: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; compound member

• maṇḍala: circle/arc
• maṇḍala: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; compound member

• prahita: directed
• prahita: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √hi (धातु) + pra- (उपसर्ग) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; PPP 'sent/aimed'; compound member

• saurata: erotic/amorous
• saurata: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saurata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; compound member

• mantra: formula/technique
• mantra: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; compound member

• śauṇḍaiḥ: by (their) expert (arts)
• śauṇḍaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śauṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd—तृतीया), Plural; 'skilled/expert' qualifying the whole set of means; with compound: bhrū-maṇḍala-prahita-saurata-mantra-śauṇḍaiḥ

• patnyaḥ: wives
• patnyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Plural

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (निपात)

• śoḍaśa-sahasram: sixteen thousand
• śoḍaśa-sahasram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoḍaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular; dvigu compound meaning a number-total

• anaṅga: Cupid (Ananga)
• anaṅga: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; compound member (name of Kāma)

• bāṇaiḥ: with Cupid’s arrows
• bāṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd—तृतीया), Plural; tatpuruṣa: anaṅga-bāṇaiḥ = 'with Cupid’s arrows'

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th—षष्ठी), Singular; relative pronoun

• indriyam: sense(s)/faculty
• indriyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd—द्वितीया), Singular

• vimathitum: to agitate/disturb
• vimathitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √math (धातु) + vi- (उपसर्ग) + tumun (कृत्)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्-अन्त)

• karaṇaiḥ: by means/instruments
• karaṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd—तृतीया), Plural

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• śekuḥ: were able
• śekuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śak (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect—लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Plural

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Kṛṣṇa’s sixteen thousand queens (patnyaḥ)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s self-control in Dvārakā pastimes?

This verse says that even the sixteen thousand queens—expert in romantic arts and armed with Cupid-like allure—could not disturb Lord Kṛṣṇa’s senses, showing His transcendental self-mastery.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe the queens’ romantic gestures in this verse?

He highlights the intensity of their charm to emphasize that Kṛṣṇa’s nature is beyond material lust; His relationships are divine līlā, not conditioned attraction.

How can this shloka be applied in modern life for sense control and bhakti?

It teaches that true steadiness comes from higher spiritual absorption—by cultivating devotion and remembrance of the Lord, one becomes less shaken by sensory agitation.