FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.15.46

जनन्युपहृतं प्राश्य स्वाद्वन्नमुपलालितौ । संविश्य वरशय्यायां सुखं सुषुपतुर्व्रजे ॥ ४६ ॥
janany-upahṛtaṁ prāśya
[janany-upahritam praashya]
svādy annam upalālitau
[svaady annam upalaalitau]
saṁviśya vara-śayyāyāṁ
[samvishya vara-shayyaayaam]
sukhaṁ suṣupatur vraje
[sukham sushupatur vraje]
jananī — by Their mothers upahṛtam — offered prāśya — eating fully svādu — delicious annam — food upalālitau — being pampered saṁviśya — entering vara — excellent śayyāyām — upon bedding sukham — happily suṣupatuḥ — the two of Them slept vraje — in Vraja .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
janany-upahṛtaṁ prāśya
jananī
by Their mothers
upahṛtam
offered
prāśya
eating fully
svādy annam upalālitau
svādu
delicious
annam
food
upalālitau
being pampered
saṁviśya vara-śayyāyāṁ
saṁviśya
entering
vara
excellent
śayyāyām
upon bedding
sukhaṁ suṣupatur vraje
sukham
happily
suṣupatuḥ
the two of Them slept
vraje
in Vraja .
  • jananī — by Their mothers
    Mother — one who gives birth. Gauḍīya: jananī here covers both mothers, Yaśodā and Rohiṇī. Vātsalya's source-relationship — mother to son — is named with its plainest word.
  • svādu annam — delicious food
    svādu (sweet, tasty) + anna (food). Gauḍīya: food prepared by Yaśodā is famously svādu — even the Lord, who needs no food, eats it eagerly. The eating proves the mothers' worth in vātsalya-economy.
  • upalālitau — being pampered
    Dual past participle of upa + √lal — to fondle, indulge. Gauḍīya: lālana is the technical term for vātsalya-sevā — petting, indulging. The same root in lālitau and Rāma's name Lalita (in some sampradāyas). Vātsalya is lālana-rasa.
  • vara śayyāyām — upon excellent bedding
    vara (excellent) + śayyā (bed). Gauḍīya: the bed is vara — best — chosen by the mothers. The Lord who is served on Ananta-śeṣa is here served on a household-made bed; both seats accept Him.
  • suṣupatuḥ — the two of Them slept
    Dual perfect of su + √svap — to sleep well. Gauḍīya: the perfect tense closes the day; They slept. The Bhāgavatam allows the Lord to sleep — līlā includes rest. Sleep is not negation of awareness; it is one more rasa-act.
After dining sumptuously on the delicious food given Them by Their mothers and being pampered in various ways, the two brothers lay down upon Their excellent beds and happily went to sleep in the village of Vraja.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
After dining sumptuously on the delicious food given Them by Their mothers and being pampered in various ways, the two brothers lay down upon Their excellent beds and happily went to sleep in the village of Vraja.
Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

They happily ate (pra aśya) the meal served by their mothers. They were pampered with spices for the mouth, joyful conversations and smelling their heads (upalālitau). They went to sleep in Vraja, in a palace surrounded by walls. Padma Purāṇa says: tasminś ca bhavana-śreṣthe ramye dipair virājate ślakṣne vicitra-paryaṅke nana-puṣpa-vivāsite tasmin śete hariḥ kṛṣṇaḥ śeṣe nārāyaṇo yathā Kṛṣṇa slept in the best, attractive room lit by lamps, on a soft, colorful bed, fragrant with various flowers, just as Nārāyaṇa sleeps on Śeṣa. Lying on the bed and spreading his limbs he slept for a few moments for play. He did this happily—with friends and servants offering betel nut, fanning him, massaging his feet, joking, conversing and singing.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

They ate the food served by both mothers, eating bit by bit (prāśya). Or they ate sumptuously, because it was brought by their mothers and very tasty. They were pampered (upalālitau) with betel nut, kissing etc. They were made to lie down on attractive beds. As a pastime they napped for a short time, made happy (sukham) by songs, talks, jokes, foot massage, cāmara, and offerings of betel prepared by the gopīs. The details are given in the second part of Bhāgavatamṛta. This place was in Vraja (vraje), among the cows, private and intimate. The service was not done in a palace crowded with people, by male and female servants, subject to fixed rules. Or they performed these pastimes in Vraja as always. The boys had a huge palace, since excellent beds are mentioned. Otherwise their parents would not be happy. They slept as a pastime. Except for the pastime in Tālavana, the pastimes of other days followed the pattern of the first day of herding the cows. Śukadeva did not speak more details because he was worried about the time left for relating other necessary topics to Parīkṣit, the hearer, since he had little time remaining to live. Thus he describes in detail the pastimes of coming to Vraja in the evening, but not leaving Vraja in the morning for the forest. Also in the morning all the inhabitants including Yaśodā had the greatest sorrow of separation, with lamentation. Those who desire the details of departure in the morning can consult Bhāgavatāmṛta.

Related values
Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Nishkama Karma (Selfless Action)Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Kartavya (Duty / Responsibility)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)
Related verses
After a sumptuous meal and pampering, the boys lie on excellent beds and sleep happily. Even rest is part of the pastime — sleep in Vraja is sweet because it is sleep in love.
Reflection Questions
  • Is my sleep restful, or pursued in spiritual anxiety?
  • What would 'sleeping in Vraja' look like for me tonight?

Two children, fed with their favorite foods, kissed and tucked in, fall asleep in the safest beds they will ever know — the home of their mothers. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma do exactly this. The verse ends Vraja's day. The Supreme Lord sleeps because His friends and mothers want Him to rest; sukham suṣupatuḥ — They slept happily. Vātsalya completes itself at sleep.

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