FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.11.38

अविदूरे व्रजभुव: सह गोपालदारकै: । चारयामासतुर्वत्सान् नानाक्रीडापरिच्छदौ ॥ ३८ ॥
avidūre vraja-bhuvaḥ
[avidoore vraja-bhuvah]
saha gopāla-dārakaiḥ
[saha gopaala-daarakaih]
cārayām āsatur vatsān
[chaarayaam aasatur vatsaan]
nānā-krīḍā-paricchadau
[naanaa-kreedaa-parichchadau]
Word-for-word
avidūre — not very far from the residential quarters of the Vrajavāsīs vraja - bhuvaḥ — from the land known as Vraja saha gopāla - dārakaiḥ — with other boys of the same profession (cowherd boys) cārayām āsatuḥ — tended vatsān — the small calves nānā — various krīḍā — sporting paricchadau — dressed very nicely in different ways and equipped with implements .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
avidūre vraja-bhuvaḥ
avidūre
not very far from the residential quarters of the Vrajavāsīs
vraja - bhuvaḥ
from the land known as Vraja
saha gopāla-dārakaiḥ
saha gopāla - dārakaiḥ
with other boys of the same profession (cowherd boys)
cārayām āsatur vatsān
cārayām āsatuḥ
tended
vatsān
the small calves
nānā-krīḍā-paricchadau
nānā
various
krīḍā
sporting
paricchadau
dressed very nicely in different ways and equipped with implements .
Not far away from Their residential quarters, both Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, equipped with all kinds of playthings, played with other cowherd boys and began to tend the small calves.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Not far away from Their residential quarters, both Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, equipped with all kinds of playthings, played with other cowherd boys and began to tend the small calves.
Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

They played not too far away since they were children. They were also not too close, because since good grass was not close and they could not play freely too close to home. However, they played within calling distance. The two boys carried flutes, canes, horns, vīnās and balls, and other objects useful for playing.

Related values & verses
Related values
Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Vinaya (Humility / Modesty)Discriminative WisdomAdambhitva (Non-hypocrisy / Authenticity)
Related verses
SB 4.29.2 SB 10.11.35 SB 10.11.36 SB 10.11.37 SB 10.11.39 SB 10.11.41 BG 18.64 BG 18.74 BG 4.8 BG 5.4 BG 3.21 BG 16.1
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme, plays as a cowherd boy tending calves — His līlā shows that surrendered service is sweeter than sovereign display.
Practical Applications
  • Take up one small, 'beneath-you' service today — sweep, fetch, clean — and offer it to Kṛṣṇa with the same gladness He tended calves.
  • Notice when you resent humble work because it threatens your self-image, and refuse the ahaṅkāra that demands only prestigious tasks.
  • Spend ten minutes meditating on bāla-Kṛṣṇa with His playthings among the cowherd boys, letting that personal, sweet form replace any vague 'divine' abstraction.
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 11