Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

कृष्णविक्रीडितं वीक्ष्य मुमुहु: खेचरस्त्रिय: । कामार्दिता: शशाङ्कश्च सगणो विस्मितोऽभवत् ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

kṛṣṇa-vikrīḍitaṁ vīkṣya mumuhuḥ khe-cara-striyaḥ kāmārditāḥ śaśāṅkaś ca sa-gaṇo vismito ’bhavat

Translation

天神的妻子们从空中车驾观望克里希纳的嬉戏，皆为之神醉，并被情欲所搅动。甚至月亮与其随从的群星也都惊叹不已。

Synonyms

• कृष्ण-विक्रीडितम्: Krishna’s pastime
• कृष्ण-विक्रीडितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रीडित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: कृष्णस्य विक्रीडितम् (Krishna’s sport)

• वीक्ष्य: having seen
• वीक्ष्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund): दृष्ट्वा (having seen)

• मुमुहुः: they fainted/became bewildered
• मुमुहुः: Kriya (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• खे-चर-स्त्रियः: the women of the sky-dwellers (celestial women)
• खे-चर-स्त्रियः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: खे चरन्ति इति खेचराः, तेषां स्त्रियः

• काम-आर्दिताः: afflicted by desire
• काम-आर्दिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्दित (कृदन्त, √अर्द्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: कामेन आर्दिताः (afflicted by desire)

• शशाङ्कः: the moon
• शशाङ्कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशाङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• स-गणः: with his attendants
• स-गणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: गणेन सह (together with his retinue)

• विस्मितः: astonished
• विस्मितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मित (कृदन्त, √स्मि/√स्मय्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Shashanka (the Moon)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the cosmic impact of Krishna’s Rasa Lila?

This verse says that even celestial women watching from the sky were overwhelmed, and the moon with his attendants was astonished—showing that Kṛṣṇa’s līlā captivates not only humans but also higher beings and even celestial luminaries.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī mention the moon (Śaśāṅka) being amazed during the Rasa Lila?

To emphasize the extraordinary, transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa’s pastime: the moon, who ordinarily illuminates the night and witnesses worldly romance, becomes merely a stunned observer before Kṛṣṇa’s divine play.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

It encourages cultivating reverent attention (śravaṇa and manana) to Kṛṣṇa’s līlā—recognizing that divine beauty and devotion can transform the heart more powerfully than ordinary attractions.