Shloka 26

Nanda Mahārāja Celebrates Kṛṣṇa’s Birth; Vasudeva Warns of Danger

Devanagari script

कच्चित् पशव्यं निरुजं भूर्यम्बुतृणवीरुधम् । बृहद्वनं तदधुना यत्रास्से त्वं सुहृद्‌वृत: ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

kaccit paśavyaṁ nirujaṁ bhūry-ambu-tṛṇa-vīrudham bṛhad vanaṁ tad adhunā yatrāsse tvaṁ suhṛd-vṛtaḥ

Translation

ప్రియ మిత్రా నంద మహారాజా! నీవు స్నేహితులతో నివసిస్తున్న ఆ అడవి పశువులకు, గోవులకు అనుకూలంగా, రోగరహితంగా ఉందా? అక్కడ నీరు, గడ్డి, మొక్కలు సమృద్ధిగా ఉన్నాయా?

Synonyms

• कच्चित्: is it so?; I hope
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle: 'whether, I hope')

• पशव्यम्: fit for cattle; good for grazing
• पशव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पशव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of 'vanam')

• निरुजम्: free from disease; healthy
• निरुजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of 'vanam')

• भूरि: abundant; much
• भूरि: Sambandha (परिमाण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूरि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable: 'much, abundant')

• अम्बु: water
• अम्बु: Sambandha (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• तृण: grass
• तृण: Sambandha (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• वीरुधम्: creepers; plants
• वीरुधम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरुध् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (वीरुध्), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासान्त-पदम् (final member)

• भूर्यम्बुतृणवीरुधम्: having abundant water, grass, and vegetation
• भूर्यम्बुतृणवीरुधम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूरि-अम्बु-तृण-वीरुध् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—समाहार-द्वन्द्व (abundance of water, grass, and plants); विशेषणम् (of 'vanam')

• बृहत्: great; vast
• बृहत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बृहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of 'vanam')

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेष्य-सूचक (refers to 'vanam')

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Adhikarana (अधिकरण-कालय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'now, at present')

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण-देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: 'where')

• आस्से: you sit/dwell
• आस्से: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; रूपम्: आसीद्-धातोः 'आस्से'

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सुहृद्: friends
• सुहृद्: Sambandha (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/तृतीया-समासाङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• वृतः: surrounded; accompanied
• वृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of 'tvam')

• सुहृद्वृतः: surrounded by friends
• सुहृद्वृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुहृद्-वृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (सुहृद्भिः वृतः)

Purport

For human happiness, one must care for the animals, especially the cows. Vasudeva therefore inquired whether there was a good arrangement for the animals where Nanda Mahārāja lived. For the proper pursuit of human happiness, there must be arrangements for the protection of cows. This means that there must be forests and adequate pasturing grounds full of grass and water. If the animals are happy, there will be an ample supply of milk, from which human beings will benefit by deriving many milk products with which to live happily. As enjoined in Bhagavad-gītā (18.44) , kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma-svabhāvajam. Without giving proper facilities to the animals, how can human society be happy? That people are raising cattle to send to the slaughterhouse is a great sin. By this demoniac enterprise, people are ruining their chance for a truly human life. Because they are not giving any importance to the instructions of Kṛṣṇa, the advancement of their so-called civilization resembles the crazy efforts of men in a lunatic asylum.

Characters & Entities

• Nanda Maharaja
• Vasudeva

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about cow protection and a healthy environment?

This verse highlights an ideal Vraja setting—healthy, disease-free, and abundant in water and grasses—showing that proper care of land and cows (paśavyam) is part of righteous, devotional living.

Why did Nanda Maharaja ask Vasudeva about the forest and his well-wishers?

In the context of Krishna’s birth celebrations, Nanda expresses affectionate concern for Vasudeva’s welfare—whether his residence is safe and prosperous, and whether he is supported by friendly companions.

How can this shloka be applied in modern life?

It encourages building communities that support health, mutual goodwill, and harmony with nature—prioritizing clean water, sustainable food sources, and supportive relationships centered on dharma and devotion.