Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.22.37
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
-
gāḥ
—
the cows
Accusative plural of go. Cows are watered first — the Vraja order of love: dependents before self. Kṛṣṇa's care of the cows is the prototype of His care of every dependent jīva.
-
su-mṛṣṭāḥ
—
very clear
Compound: su (well) + mṛṣṭa (cleaned, pure). The Yamunā's water is su-mṛṣṭa — purified at the source. Vraja's geography is itself transcendental; nothing in Goloka is contaminated.
-
śītalāḥ
—
cool
From √śī (to be cold). The opposite pole of verse 30's nidāgha-arka (hot season sun). The līlā maintains internal contrast: cold water at dawn for the gopīs, cool water at midday for the boys.
-
śivāḥ
—
wholesome
From śi — auspicious, good. Śiva-water — water that brings welfare. The Yamunā's water is technically śiva in the upaniṣadic sense of cosmically auspicious. Drinking it is itself a small darśana.
-
papuḥ
—
they drank
Perfect of √pā (to drink). Pā — to drink — is the root behind pāyaḥ (milk), pāyas (water), pāyana. The Vraja-economy of drinking and feeding traces back to Kṛṣṇa, the original Pātṛ (one who drinks / who protects).
The boys let the cows drink the water in the Yamunā (tatra) which was very pure, healthy and giving auspicious results (śivāḥ). After the cows drank the boys drank, since that was the rule for cowherds. O king, that is the dharma for cowherds just as it is for you in relation to your citizens. In spite of the cows disturbing the water it was clear even when the boys drank (svādu). This is a glorification of the water. They drank to satisfaction. Mentioning the word “water” twice in the verse gives it importance.
The Yamunā water was naturally sweet, and in Vṛndāvana became most sweet (svādu). It gave happiness or auspiciousness (śivāḥ). The boys drank after the cows because they considered the comfort of the cows over their own comfort (svayam). Or, Svayam bhagavān (svayam) and the cowherds drank. Or they drank directly the water using their hands, not cups. There is a prohibition of not drinking water using the hands. But this rule does not apply to cowherds (gopāḥ). They are not subject to rules and forbiddances. O king! As your main job is protection of the citizens, their main job was protecting the cows, not considering personal comforts. Thus they drank later. The words su-mṛṣṭāḥ śītalāḥ and śivāḥ used to indicate that the water was tasty. But again it is mentioned (svādu) in the second line. Because it was so tasty they drank fully (kāmam). Or unlimited cows came from far to the Yamunā, after wandering a long time in many places. Finally the water became disturbed by their drinking. Thus the water lost is coolness and clarity and should have lost its sweetness. But it was still sweet tasting. That was its greatness.
- Where am I trying to find a 'special' water when the Yamunā shared by all serves perfectly?
- What ordinary nourishment have I been failing to drink to satisfaction?
After a long teaching, the master and his friends pause at the water — cows drinking first, then the boys, the simple Vraja-economy where Kṛṣṇa is herder and friend. The water that hid the gopīs at dawn now refreshes the cowherds at midday.
My note
Source: vedabase.io