Shloka 5

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

Brahma-vimohana-līlā

Devanagari script

अहोऽतिरम्यं पुलिनं वयस्या: स्वकेलिसम्पन्मृदुलाच्छबालुकम् । स्फुटत्सरोगन्धहृतालिपत्रिक- ध्वनिप्रतिध्वानलसद्‌‌‌द्रुमाकुलम् ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

aho ’tiramyaṁ pulinaṁ vayasyāḥ sva-keli-sampan mṛdulāccha-bālukam sphuṭat-saro-gandha-hṛtāli-patrika- dhvani-pratidhvāna-lasad-drumākulam

Translation

О друзья! Посмотрите, как прекрасна эта речная отмель — она словно создана для наших игр; песок здесь чист и мягок. Аромат распустившихся лотосов манит пчёл и птиц, и их жужжание и щебет эхом разносится среди красивых деревьев леса.

Synonyms

• अहो: oh!
• अहो: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/भावसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विस्मयार्थक-निपात (exclamatory particle)

• अति-रम्यम्: very delightful
• अति-रम्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-रम्य (प्रातिपदिक) = अति + रम्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; अव्ययीभाव-समास (‘अति’ उपसर्गवत्)

• पुलिनम्: river-bank/sandbank
• पुलिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• वयस्याः: O friends!
• वयस्याः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-बहुवचन (Vocative plural) (हे वयस्याः)

• स्व-केलि-सम्पत्: rich in our own play (facilities)
• स्व-केलि-सम्पत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व-केलि-सम्पत् (प्रातिपदिक) = स्व + केलि + सम्पत्
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (पुलिनस्य); तत्पुरुष-समास (‘स्वस्य केल्याः सम्पत्’ = wealth/abundance of one’s own play)

• मृदुल-अच्छ-बालुकम्: with soft, clean sand
• मृदुल-अच्छ-बालुकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदुल-अच्छ-बालुक (प्रातिपदिक) = मृदुल + अच्छ + बालुक
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (पुलिनम्); कर्मधारय-समास (‘मृदुला च अच्छाः च बालुकाः यस्मिन्’)

• स्फुटत्-सरो-गन्ध-हृत्-अलि-पत्रिक-ध्वनि-प्रतिध्वान-लसत्-द्रुम-आकुलम्: filled with shining trees, resonant with the echo of bees’ wing-buzz drawn by the fragrance of blossoming lotuses
• स्फुटत्-सरो-गन्ध-हृत्-अलि-पत्रिक-ध्वनि-प्रतिध्वान-लसत्-द्रुम-आकुलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फुटत् + सरस् + गन्ध + हृत् + अलि + पत्रिक + ध्वनि + प्रतिध्वान + लसत् + द्रुम + आकुल (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-प्रधान-समास; विशेषण (पुलिनम्): ‘स्फुटत्सरोगन्धेन हृताः अलयः, तेषां पत्रिकाध्वनेः प्रतिध्वानेन लसद्भिः द्रुमैः आकुलम्’

Purport

The description of Vṛndāvana forest as given herewith was spoken by Kṛṣṇa five thousand years ago, and the same condition prevailed during the time of the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas three or four hundred years ago. Kūjat-kokila-haṁsa-sārasa-gaṇākīrṇe mayūrākule. Vṛndāvana forest is always filled with the chirping and cooing of birds like cuckoos ( kokila ), ducks ( haṁsa ) and cranes ( sārasa ), and it is also full of peacocks ( mayūrākule ). The same sounds and atmosphere still prevail in the area where our Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma temple is situated. Everyone who visits this temple is pleased to hear the chirping of the birds as described here ( kūjat-kokila-haṁsa-sārasa ).

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Cowherd boys (Vraja-gopas)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Vrindavan’s beauty in Krishna’s childhood pastimes?

This verse highlights the Vraja riverbank as an ideal, blissful setting for Krishna’s playful līlā—soft clean sands, lotus fragrance, bees’ humming, and echoing groves—showing how nature itself supports devotion and divine play.

Why did Krishna speak about the riverbank and forest to His friends?

In the flow of the Vraja cowherd pastime, Krishna draws His companions’ attention to the perfect place for their games, expressing shared joy and deepening their loving friendship within His intimate childhood līlā.

Practical application of Krishna’s Vrindavan nature-lila in modern life?

Cultivate mindful remembrance of the Divine by seeing sacredness in natural beauty—fragrance, sound, and serenity can become prompts for gratitude, simplicity, and bhakti-centered living.