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Shloka 20

Rāsa-līlā Begins; Divine Multiplication; Moral Doubt and Its Resolution

तासां रतिविहारेण श्रान्तानां वदनानि स: । प्रामृजत् करुण: प्रेम्णा शन्तमेनाङ्ग पाणिना ॥ २० ॥

tāsāṁ rati-vihāreṇa śrāntānāṁ vadanāni saḥ prāmṛjat karuṇaḥ premṇā śantamenāṅga pāṇinā

రతివిహారంతో అలసిన గోపికల ముఖాలను, ఓ రాజా, కరుణామయుడైన శ్రీకృష్ణుడు ప్రేమతో తన శాంతమైన చేతితో తుడిచాడు।

तासाम्of them
तासाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन
रति-विहारेणby amorous play
रति-विहारेण:
Hetu/Karaṇa (हेतु/करण; by/through amorous sport)
TypeNoun
Rootरति (प्रातिपदिक) + विहार (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष (determinative; ‘ratiyāḥ vihāraḥ’/‘rati-vihāra’), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन
श्रान्तानाम्of the tired (ones)
श्रान्तानाम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण; qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootश्रान्त (प्रातिपदिक; √श्रम् + क्त)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; adjective qualifying तासाम् (gopīs)
वदनानिfaces
वदनानि:
Karma (कर्म; object)
TypeNoun
Rootवदन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), बहुवचन
सःhe
सः:
Karta (कर्ता; subject)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
प्रामृजत्he wiped/cleansed
प्रामृजत्:
Kriyā (क्रिया; main verb)
TypeVerb
Rootमृज् (धातु)
Formलङ् (imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: प्र-
करुणःcompassionate
करुणः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootकरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; adjective of सः
प्रेम्णाwith love
प्रेम्णा:
Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु; out of love)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रेमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन
शन्तमेनwith the most gentle
शन्तमेन:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण; qualifying पाणिना)
TypeAdjective
Rootशन्तम (प्रातिपदिक; superlative of शम्/शान्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; superlative ‘most gentle/very soothing’
अङ्गO dear (friend)
अङ्ग:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन; address)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअङ्ग (अव्यय)
Formसम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle), used for address/emphasis
पाणिनाhand
पाणिना:
Karaṇa (करण; instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootपाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन
Ś
Śrī Kṛṣṇa
G
Gopīs (Vraja-devīs)

FAQs

This verse portrays Kṛṣṇa as karuṇa—compassionate—tenderly wiping the gopīs’ faces when they became fatigued, emphasizing His loving care for His devotees.

Śukadeva presents Kṛṣṇa’s līlā to reveal the pinnacle of pure devotion (prema-bhakti), where the Lord reciprocates fully with surrendered devotees, not to promote mundane lust.

Serve devotees with gentleness and compassion—like Kṛṣṇa’s soothing care—seeing loving service as an expression of bhakti rather than selfish enjoyment.