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Shloka 34

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

Brahma-vimohana-līlā

तत: प्रवयसो गोपास्तोकाश्लेषसुनिर्वृता: । कृच्छ्राच्छनैरपगतास्तदनुस्मृत्युदश्रव: ॥ ३४ ॥

tataḥ pravayaso gopās tokāśleṣa-sunirvṛtāḥ kṛcchrāc chanair apagatās tad-anusmṛty-udaśravaḥ

اس کے بعد عمر رسیدہ گوالوں نے اپنے بیٹوں کو گلے لگا کر بے پناہ محبت کی سرشاری پائی۔ پھر بڑی مشکل اور بے دلی سے آہستہ آہستہ بغل گیر ہونا چھوڑ کر جنگل کی طرف لوٹ گئے؛ مگر بیٹوں کی یاد آتے ہی ان کی آنکھوں سے آنسو بہنے لگے۔

ततःthen/thereafter
ततः:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (indeclinable); तस्मात्-अर्थे (ablatival sense)
प्रवयसःof similar age (peers)
प्रवयसः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रवयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)
गोपाःcowherd boys
गोपाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootगोप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन
तोक-आश्लेष-सुनिर्वृताःgreatly delighted by embracing the children
तोक-आश्लेष-सुनिर्वृताः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootतोक (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्लेष (प्रातिपदिक) + सुनिर्वृत (कृदन्त; सु-निर्-√वृ (धातु) + क्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तोकानाम् आश्लेषेण सुनिर्वृताः = delighted by embracing the children)
कृच्छ्रात्with difficulty
कृच्छ्रात्:
Apadana (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootकृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (or पुं), पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः ‘with difficulty’
शनैःslowly
शनैः:
Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootशनैः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)
अपगताःwent away/withdrew
अपगताः:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअपगत (कृदन्त; अप-√गम् (धातु) + क्त)
Formभूतकृत् (past participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्रियापदवत्—‘went away/withdrew’
तत्-अनुस्मृति-उदश्रवःwith tears arising from remembering that
तत्-अनुस्मृति-उदश्रवः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अनुस्मृति (प्रातिपदिक) + उदश्रव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तत्-अनुस्मृत्या उदश्रवः = having tears arising from remembering that)

In the beginning the cowherd men were angry that the cows were being attracted by the calves, but when the men came down from the hill, they themselves were attracted by their sons, and therefore the men embraced them. To embrace one’s son and smell his head are symptoms of affection.

G
Gopas (elder cowherd men)
C
Cowherd boys (their sons)

FAQs

This verse shows the Vraja elders becoming intensely fulfilled by embracing their sons, yet leaving with difficulty and tears—illustrating how Krishna’s līlā deepens pure, selfless parental devotion.

In the narrative of Canto 10, Chapter 13, Krishna’s arrangement causes extraordinary affection to surge in the gopas’ hearts; thus they depart only slowly, repeatedly remembering the boys and weeping.

Cultivate steady, nurturing devotion—serve and remember Krishna with the same warmth and constancy as caring love, and let remembrance of the Lord soften the heart rather than harden it.