FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.11.45

तौ वत्सपालकौ भूत्वा सर्वलोकैकपालकौ । सप्रातराशौ गोवत्सांश्चारयन्तौ विचेरतु: ॥ ४५ ॥
tau vatsa-pālakau bhūtvā
[tau vatsa-paalakau bhootvaa]
sarva-lokaika-pālakau
[sarva-lokaika-paalakau]
saprātar-āśau go-vatsāṁś
[sapraatar-aashau go-vatsaamsh]
cārayantau viceratuḥ
[chaarayantau vicheratuh]
Word-for-word
tau — Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma vatsa - pālakau — as if taking care of the calves bhūtvā — so becoming sarva - loka - eka - pālakau — although They are the maintainers of all living beings throughout the whole universe sa - prātaḥ - āśau — finishing breakfast in the morning go - vatsān — all the calves cārayantau — tending viceratuḥ — wandered here and there .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tau vatsa-pālakau bhūtvā
tau
Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma
vatsa - pālakau
as if taking care of the calves
bhūtvā
so becoming
sarva-lokaika-pālakau
sarva - loka - eka - pālakau
although They are the maintainers of all living beings throughout the whole universe
saprātar-āśau go-vatsāṁś
sa - prātaḥ - āśau
finishing breakfast in the morning
go - vatsān
all the calves
cārayantau viceratuḥ
cārayantau
tending
viceratuḥ
wandered here and there .
After the killing of the demon, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma finished Their breakfast in the morning, and while continuing to take care of the calves, They wandered here and there. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, the Supreme Personalities of Godhead, who maintain the entire creation, now took charge of the calves as if cowherd boys.
Purport

Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. Kṛṣṇa’s daily business here in this material world was to kill the duṣkṛtīs. This did not hamper His daily affairs, for it was routine work. While He tended the calves on the bank of the river Yamunā, two or three incidents took place every day, and although these were serious, killing the demons one after another appeared to be His daily routine work.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
After the killing of the demon, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma finished Their breakfast in the morning, and while continuing to take care of the calves, They wandered here and there. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, the Supreme Personalities of Godhead, who maintain the entire creation, now took charge of the calves as if cowherd boys.
Commentary

The two chief protectors of all people (eka palikau) became that day the protectors of the calves. Taking breakfast (pratar asau) they played while tending the calves.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Though the two boys were the chief protectors of all people, they became (bhūtvā) protectors of the calves. This shows their great affection for their devotees. Or becoming protectors of calves, they also become protectors of all people, since they protected the devatās by killing the demon. They took their breakfast. Since they had greater age and strength than previously, they herded the calves for the whole day, going to a place at a greater distance than usual. They would herd the calves all day since the cows would return to Vraja in the evening and wait for their calves.

Related values & verses
Related verses
SB 10.11.42 SB 10.11.43 SB 10.11.44 SB 10.11.46 SB 10.11.47 SB 10.11.48
Concepts
Jiva
Personal Guidance
Killing demons was Kṛṣṇa's daily routine — protection of the innocent and removal of the wicked is not an interruption to His life but its texture. Service to Him also unfolds as steady daily work, not heroic episodes.
Reflection Questions
  • Do I expect bhakti to feel extraordinary every day, or am I willing to let it become routine, like Kṛṣṇa's tending of the calves?
  • What daily 'demon' (habit, temptation, anxiety) does Kṛṣṇa quietly help me overcome that I have stopped noticing?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 11