Shloka 4

The Gopīs Glorify the Song of Kṛṣṇa’s Flute

Veṇu-gīta

Devanagari script

तद्वर्णयितुमारब्धा: स्मरन्त्य: कृष्णचेष्टितम् । नाशकन् स्मरवेगेन विक्षिप्तमनसो नृप ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

tad varṇayitum ārabdhāḥ smarantyaḥ kṛṣṇa-ceṣṭitam nāśakan smara-vegena vikṣipta-manaso nṛpa

Translation

వారు కృష్ణుని వర్ణించటం ప్రారంభించారు; కాని ఆయన లీలలను స్మరించగానే, ఓ రాజా, స్మరవేగం వారి మనస్సులను కలవరపెట్టి, వారు మాట్లాడలేకపోయారు।

Synonyms

• तत्: thereupon/that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), तदर्थ/तत्कारण-सूचक (thereupon/that)

• वर्णयितुम्: to describe
• वर्णयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्यय; ‘to describe’

• आरब्धाः: having begun
• आरब्धाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√रभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः—‘having begun/started’ (refers to gopīs)

• स्मरन्त्यः: remembering
• स्मरन्त्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘remembering’

• कृष्ण-चेष्टितम्: Kṛṣṇa’s activities
• कृष्ण-चेष्टितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + चेष्टित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-नाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कृष्णस्य चेष्टितम्)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अशकन्: they could
• अशकन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शक् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘they were able’ (with न = ‘could not’)

• स्मर-वेगेन: by the force of love
• स्मर-वेगेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मर (प्रातिपदिक) + वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्मरस्य वेगः)

• विक्षिप्त-मनसः: whose minds were distracted
• विक्षिप्त-मनसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विक्षिप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘विक्षिप्तं मनो येषाम्’ (their minds distracted)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; vocative address

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Gopīs
• King Parīkṣit

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the gopīs being unable to speak about Krishna?

This verse says that when the gopīs started describing Krishna’s deeds, the surge of intense loving emotion overwhelmed them and their minds became too agitated to continue speaking.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī address Parīkṣit as “O king” in this verse?

Śukadeva is narrating the Vraja pastimes to King Parīkṣit, directly drawing his attention to the gopīs’ exalted devotional state as part of the ongoing Veṇu-gīta narration.

How can this teaching be applied in modern devotional life?

It highlights that remembrance of Krishna is not merely intellectual; sincere bhakti can deeply move the heart—so practices like kīrtana, hearing, and meditation should be done with attention and feeling, not just routine.