FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14.31

अहोऽतिधन्या व्रजगोरमण्य: स्तन्यामृतं पीतमतीव ते मुदा । यासां विभो वत्सतरात्मजात्मना यत्तृप्तयेऽद्यापि न चालमध्वरा: ॥ ३१ ॥
aho ’ti-dhanyā vraja-go-ramaṇyaḥ
[aho ’ti-dhanyaa vraja-go-ramanyah]
stanyāmṛtaṁ pītam atīva te mudā
[stanyaamritam peetam ateeva te mudaa]
yāsāṁ vibho vatsatarātmajātmanā
[yaasaam vibho vatsataraatmajaatmanaa]
yat-tṛptaye ’dyāpi na cālam adhvarāḥ
[yat-triptaye ’dyaapi na chaalam adhvaraah]
aho — oh ati - dhanyāḥ — most fortunate vraja — of Vṛndāvana go — the cows ramaṇyaḥ — and the gopīs stanya — the breast milk amṛtam — which is like nectar pītam — has been drunk atīva — fully te — by You mudā — with satisfaction yāsām — of whom vibho — O almighty Lord vatsatara - ātmaja - ātmanā — in the form of the calves and the sons of the cowherd women yat — whose tṛptaye — for the satisfaction adya api — even until now na — not ca — and alam — sufficient adhvarāḥ — the Vedic sacrifices .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
aho ’ti-dhanyā vraja-go-ramaṇyaḥ
aho
oh
stanyāmṛtaṁ pītam atīva te mudā
ati - dhanyāḥ
most fortunate
vraja
of Vṛndāvana
go
the cows
yāsāṁ vibho vatsatarātmajātmanā
ramaṇyaḥ
and the gopīs
stanya
the breast milk
yat-tṛptaye ’dyāpi na cālam adhvarāḥ
amṛtam
which is like nectar
pītam
has been drunk
atīva
fully
te
by You
mudā
with satisfaction
yāsām
of whom
vibho
O almighty Lord
vatsatara - ātmaja - ātmanā
in the form of the calves and the sons of the cowherd women
yat
whose
tṛptaye
for the satisfaction
adya api
even until now
na
not
ca
and
alam
sufficient
adhvarāḥ
the Vedic sacrifices .
  • vraja-go-ramaṇyaḥ — the cows and ladies of Vraja
    Compound: vraja (the cowherd land) + go (cow) + ramaṇī (woman). Cows and women in one compound — the Vraja-bhakti pairing. Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu treats both as ālambana-vibhāva of vātsalya/sneha.
  • stanya-amṛtam — the nectar of breast milk
    Compound: stanya (breast milk) + amṛta (nectar). Verse 23's amṛta returns as embodied milk. Brahmā equates Yaśodā's milk with the cosmic nectar — vātsalya-amṛta is the actual amṛta.
  • vatsatara-ātmaja-ātmanā — in the form of (their) calves and children
    Compound: vatsatara (calf) + ātmaja (child) + ātman (self). Kṛṣṇa Himself became both calves and children to enjoy the milk twice over. The verb itself records the SB 10.13 līlā.
  • adhvarāḥ — Vedic sacrifices
    Plural of adhvara — yajña. Brahmā the original ritualist names the limit of the Vedic sacrifices: na alam, 'not enough'. His own métier is rated below the gopīs' kitchen. Karma-kāṇḍa is humbled before vātsalya.
  • mudā — with joy
    Instrumental of mud — joy, gladness. Kṛṣṇa drank the milk with joy. Not as duty, not as līlā-discharge, but with mudā — the same noun used for prema's overflow. Bhakti gives Bhagavān joy.
O almighty Lord, how greatly fortunate are the cows and ladies of Vṛndāvana, the nectar of whose breast milk You have happily drunk to Your full satisfaction, taking the form of their calves and children! All the Vedic sacrifices performed from time immemorial up to the present day have not given You as much satisfaction.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O almighty Lord, how greatly fortunate are the cows and ladies of Vṛndāvana, the nectar of whose breast-milk You have happily drunk to Your full satisfaction, taking the form of their calves and children! All the Vedic sacrifices performed from time immemorial up to the present day have not given You as much satisfaction.
Commentary

"As an unqualified person, I have prayed to become your devotee. It is your will to fulfill it. It is unsuitable for me to pray for the elevated stage of your devotees engaged in spontaneous attraction of vastalya and other moods. I can only praise them." This is expressed in two verses. "The cows and gopis of vraja are extremely fortunate. The word aho expresses extreme surprise. You with your sac cid ananda body, taking the form of the cowherd boys and the calves, have drunk the nectarean milk from their bodily breasts, with extreme bliss. With each mouthful the bliss increased (ativa muda). You could not even tolerate the time it took to milk the cows when you took the form of the calves. You took the form of the cowherd boys, otherwise it would not be possible to drink the milk of so many different mothers. And, O powerful one (vibho), you took many forms out of extreme greed, in order to drink. And among them all, you could not even miss the nectar from one breast. As they gave you such bliss, there is no doubt about their bodies also being purely sac cid ananda. And all the sacrifices from time immemorial to the present day, performed by myself, Siva and others with perfect mantras and actions, were not able to satisfy you."

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

“I should remain satisfied in myself, but you seek to serve me. But you are Brahmā and my people are cowherds. How is it possible to associate with them?” Fearing such response by the Lord, he replies with this verse. Their glory is greater than all others’ glory. He gives a specific example to illustrate, and by that indicates his own desire. He uses the word aho first to indicate great astonishment. The cowherd women are attained the acme of success (ati-dhanyāḥ). Who are they? They are most excellent (ramaṇyaḥ) since they satisfied the Lord by feeding him from their breasts. Among many others, not one has such good fortune. How are they fortunate? O Lord, fully satisfied in yourself (vibho)! You drank their milk. The great quantity is shown: all sacrifices performed from beginningless time in the past (since the Vedas are without beginning) till now cannot satisfy you—since you are fully satisfied in yourself. But still you drank the cowherd women’s milk. Though you drink other nectar, and live through sacrifice, you are not interested in the sacrifices or the sacrificers. Ah! Therefore what is this nectar? It is from their breasts. Kṛṣṇa by his unique nature tasted the special rasa coming from their bodies. And he drank it—he actually sucked it with his mouth. And he sucked it intensely (atīva) and with the highest pleasure (mudā). And he became millions of calves and boys out of greed to drink it all. Each word shows greater and greater astonishment. This good fortune was not just an occasional event for the highly qualified women of Vraja. And it was not according to methods of karma-kāṇḍa. Your greatness in this regard astonishes me. This action was continuous among the people of Vraja.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Brahām prays to have bhakti similar to that of the people of Vraja, or to serve their lotus feet. Since everything should end in sweetness, with the intention of praising the Lord by describing their greatness, he praises them in ten verses. How amazing (aho)! This is most auspicious. The cows and women have reached the highest success possible (atidhanyāḥ). They satisfied you by giving their breast milk (ramaṇyaḥ) to satisy you (yad-tṛptaye). O most perfect Lord (vibho)! And you drank the milk, and drank to the highest degree (atīva). And it gave you great joy (mudā). And you drank directly by being the calves and cowherd boys. Past tense is used to indicate that he covered his normal form. You did this from previously until today (adyāpi). Or you drank even today, with your form as a small child (adyāpi).

Related values
Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Kritajnata (Gratitude)Kartavya (Duty / Responsibility)Samata (Equanimity / Even-mindedness)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)
Related verses
Concepts
Ananda
Vraja's cows and women, who nursed Kṛṣṇa, please Him more than all the Vedic sacrifices ever performed. Intimate, motherly love outranks formal ritual every time — affection is the higher offering.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I privileging ritual perfection over warm-hearted intimacy with the Lord?
  • Whose simple affection toward Kṛṣṇa might be teaching me more than my sophisticated practice?

A king who has eaten in every royal kitchen of the world arrives in a humble village and drinks one cup of milk from a poor widow — and counts that cup as the meal of his life. Vraja's cows and gopīs fed Kṛṣṇa their milk; the Vedic yajñas of ages have not given Him the satisfaction one of their cups did. Vātsalya outranks ritual.

Yaśodā binds Him

Of all the offerings made to Kṛṣṇa across all the ages — Vedic sacrifices, royal worship, sage-tapasya — Yaśodā's milk and Yaśodā's rope did what no yajña did (SB 10.9). Bhagavān let Himself be bound, drink, eat, sleep, and weep — for her.

Verse 31 is Brahmā's footnote to that chapter: na ca alam adhvarāḥ — the sacrifices have not done what her milk has. The Gauḍīya rasa-hierarchy is officially announced here by Brahmā himself.

📝 My note

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