Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 41

The Solar Eclipse at Samanta-pañcaka and the Great Reunion of Yādavas, Pāṇḍavas, and Vraja

Devanagari script

अपि स्मरथ न: सख्य: स्वानामर्थचिकीर्षया । गतांश्चिरायिताञ्छत्रुपक्षक्षपणचेतस: ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

api smaratha naḥ sakhyaḥ svānām artha-cikīrṣayā gatāṁś cirāyitāñ chatru- pakṣa-kṣapaṇa-cetasaḥ

Translation

奎师那说：亲爱的女友们，你们还记得我吗？为了我亲族的利益，我才久别不归，心念只在歼灭仇敌之党。

Synonyms

• api: whether, indeed
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्न/सम्भावना-निपात (interrogative/particle)

• smaratha: you remember
• smaratha: Kriyā (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• naḥ: of us/our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/genitive) बहुवचन (plural) — enclitic form

• sakhyaḥ: O friends
• sakhyaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन/आह्वान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/nominative) बहुवचन (plural)

• svānām: of (your) own people
• svānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/genitive) बहुवचन (plural)

• artha-cikīrṣayā: with the intention of benefiting (your own)
• artha-cikīrṣayā: Hetu/Kāraṇa (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक) + cikīrṣā (प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ इच्छार्थक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/instrumental) एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (artha-sya cikīrṣā)

• gatān: gone
• gatān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/accusative) बहुवचन (plural)

• cirāyitān: for a long time (delayed/long absent)
• cirāyitān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of gatān)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cirāyita (प्रातिपदिक; √cirāy ‘to be long/delay’)
• Form: क्त (PPP) रूपेण; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/accusative) बहुवचन (plural)

• śatru-pakṣa-kṣapaṇa-cetasaḥ: whose minds were set on destroying the enemy party
• śatru-pakṣa-kṣapaṇa-cetasaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of sakhyaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣapaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; √kṣap ‘destroy’) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/nominative) बहुवचन (plural); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘शत्रुपक्षस्य क्षपणं यस्य चेतः’ (mind intent on destroying the enemy faction)

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Vraja-gopas (cowherd friends of Vṛndāvana)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna remembering His friends in Vrindavan?

In this verse, Kṛṣṇa directly asks His Vraja friends if they still remember Him, showing His affectionate remembrance and intimate bond with the devotees of Vṛndāvana.

Why did Krishna say this to the cowherd friends (gopas) at Kurukshetra?

During the reunion, Kṛṣṇa explains that His long absence was due to responsibilities—protecting His own people and focusing on eliminating hostile forces—while still maintaining loving connection with His Vraja companions.

Practical application of balancing love and duty in modern life?

The verse models how one may accept necessary responsibilities (duty, protection, difficult tasks) without abandoning heartfelt relationships—staying internally connected through remembrance and sincere communication.