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Shloka 30

Brahmā’s Bewilderment and Kṛṣṇa Becoming the Calves and Cowherd Boys

Brahma-vimohana-līlā

द‍ृष्ट्वाथ तत्स्‍नेहवशोऽस्मृतात्मा स गोव्रजोऽत्यात्मपदुर्गमार्ग: । द्विपात्ककुद्ग्रीव उदास्यपुच्छो- ऽगाद्धुङ्कृतैरास्रुपया जवेन ॥ ३० ॥

dṛṣṭvātha tat-sneha-vaśo ’smṛtātmā sa go-vrajo ’tyātmapa-durga-mārgaḥ dvi-pāt kakud-grīva udāsya-puccho ’gād dhuṅkṛtair āsru-payā javena

Увидев своих телят с вершины Говардханы, коровы, охваченные любовью, забыли и себя, и пастухов. Хотя тропа была очень трудной, они в тревоге помчались к телятам, словно бежали на двух ногах; вымя, полное молока, проливалось, головы и хвосты были подняты, горбы качались вместе с шеями. Мыча и обливаясь слезами, они стремительно достигли телят, чтобы накормить их молоком.

dṛṣṭvāhaving seen
dṛṣṭvā:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootdṛś (दृश् धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘having seen’
athathen
atha:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootatha (अथ अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अनुक्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)
tat-sneha-vaśaḥoverpowered by affection for them
tat-sneha-vaśaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + sneha (स्नेह प्रातिपदिक) + vaśa (वश प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमास: तत्पुरुष (determinative) ‘under the control of affection for them’; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (qualifying sa go-vrajaḥ)
asmṛta-ātmāforgetful of himself
asmṛta-ātmā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Roota-smṛta (अस्मृत कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (आत्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
Formबहुव्रीहि: ‘whose self was unremembering/forgetful’; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन
saḥhe
saḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; सर्वनाम
go-vrajaḥthe cowherd-enclosure (the herd)
go-vrajaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootgo (गो प्रातिपदिक) + vraja (व्रज प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमास: तत्पुरुष ‘cow-pen/cowherd-enclosure’; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन
ati-ātmapa-durga-mārgaḥwhose path was extremely hard to traverse
ati-ātmapa-durga-mārgaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootati (अति अव्यय) + ātmapa (आत्मप प्रातिपदिक) + durga (दुर्ग प्रातिपदिक) + mārga (मार्ग प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमास: तत्पुरुष with उपपद/अव्ययपूर्वक: ‘having a path difficult for (even) the self-protecting/strong’; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (qualifying go-vrajaḥ)
dvi-pāttwo-footed
dvi-pāt:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootdvi (द्वि संख्या) + pād (पाद् प्रातिपदिक)
Formद्विगु-समास: ‘two-footed’; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (qualifying go-vrajaḥ)
kakud-grīvaḥwith hump and neck (raised)
kakud-grīvaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootkakud (ककुद् प्रातिपदिक) + grīvā (ग्रीवा प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय: ‘hump-necked / with hump and neck prominent’; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन
udāsya-pucchaḥwith tail raised
udāsya-pucchaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootudāsya (उदास्य कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + puccha (पुच्छ प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय: ‘tail held up/raised’; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन
agātwent/rushed
agāt:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootgam (गम् धातु)
Formलुङ् (Aorist); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन
dhuṅkṛtaiḥwith lowing sounds
dhuṅkṛtaiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootdhuṅkṛta (धुङ्कृत प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (sound-word); तृतीया (Instrumental) बहुवचन; ‘with lowing sounds’
āsru-payāwith tears and milk
āsru-payā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootaśru (अश्रु प्रातिपदिक) + payas (पयस् प्रातिपदिक)
Formद्वन्द्व (itaretara): ‘tears and milk’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन (as a mixed stream)
javenawith speed
javena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootjava (जव प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental) एकवचन; manner/instrument = ‘with speed’

Generally the calves and cows are pastured separately. The elderly men take care of the cows, and the small children see to the calves. This time, however, the cows immediately forgot their position as soon as they saw the calves below Govardhana Hill, and they ran with great force, their tails erect and their front and hind legs joined, until they reached their calves.

Ś
Śrī Kṛṣṇa
T
the bull (leader of the cows in Vraja)

FAQs

This verse describes the leader bull of Vraja becoming overwhelmed upon seeing Kṛṣṇa—running toward Him, bellowing and shedding tears—showing that pure bhakti in Vraja naturally arises even in animals through Kṛṣṇa’s presence.

Because he is overcome by affection (sneha) for Kṛṣṇa and forgets himself in ecstatic emotion; the verse portrays spontaneous, uncalculated love responding to Kṛṣṇa’s darśana.

It encourages cultivating sincere attachment to Kṛṣṇa—so that remembrance and emotion become natural—by regular darśana, nāma-japa, and hearing Kṛṣṇa-kathā, aiming for heartfelt devotion rather than mere ritual.