FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.46.9-13

वासितार्थेऽभियुध्यद्भ‍िर्नादितं शुश्मिभिर्वृषै: । धावन्तीभिश्च वास्राभिरुधोभारै: स्ववत्सकान् ॥ ९ ॥ इतस्ततो विलङ्घद्भ‍िर्गोवत्सैर्मण्डितं सितै: । गोदोहशब्दाभिरवं वेणूनां नि:स्वनेन च ॥ १० ॥ गायन्तीभिश्च कर्माणि शुभानि बलकृष्णयो: । स्वलङ्कृताभिर्गोपीभिर्गोपैश्च सुविराजितम् ॥ ११ ॥ अग्‍न्यर्कातिथिगोविप्रपितृदेवार्चनान्वितै: । धूपदीपैश्च माल्यैश्च गोपावासैर्मनोरमम् ॥ १२ ॥ सर्वत: पुष्पितवनं द्विजालिकुलनादितम् । हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णै: पद्मषण्डैश्च मण्डितम् ॥ १३ ॥
vāsitārthe ’bhiyudhyadbhir
[vaasitaarthe ’bhiyudhyadbhir]
nāditaṁ śuśmibhir vṛṣaiḥ
[naaditam shushmibhir vrishaih]
dhāvantībhiś ca vāsrābhir
[dhaavanteebhish cha vaasraabhir]
udho-bhāraiḥ sva-vatsakān
[udho-bhaaraih sva-vatsakaan]
itas tato vilaṅghadbhir
[itas tato vilanghadbhir]
go-vatsair maṇḍitaṁ sitaiḥ
[go-vatsair manditam sitaih]
go-doha-śabdābhiravaṁ
[go-doha-shabdaabhiravam]
veṇūnāṁ niḥsvanena ca
[venoonaam nihsvanena cha]
gāyantībhiś ca karmāṇi
[gaayanteebhish cha karmaani]
śubhāni bala-kṛṣṇayoḥ
[shubhaani bala-krishnayoh]
sv-alaṅkṛtābhir gopībhir
[sv-alankritaabhir gopeebhir]
gopaiś ca su-virājitam
[gopaish cha su-viraajitam]
agny-arkātithi-go-vipra-
[agny-arkaatithi-go-vipra-]
pitṛ-devārcanānvitaiḥ
[pitri-devaarchanaanvitaih]
dhūpa-dīpaiś ca mālyaiś ca
[dhoopa-deepaish cha maalyaish cha]
gopāvāsair mano-ramam
[gopaavaasair mano-ramam]
sarvataḥ puṣpita-vanaṁ
[sarvatah pushpita-vanam]
dvijāli-kula-nāditam
[dvijaali-kula-naaditam]
haṁsa-kāraṇḍavākīrṇaiḥ
[hamsa-kaarandavaakeernaih]
padma-ṣaṇḍaiś ca maṇḍitam
[padma-shandaish cha manditam]
vāsita — of the fertile (cows) arthe — for the sake abhiyudhyadbhiḥ — who were fighting with one another nāditam — resounding śuśmibhiḥ — sexually aroused vṛṣaiḥ — with the bulls dhāvantībhiḥ — running ca — and vāsrābhiḥ — with the cows udhaḥ — by their udders bhāraiḥ — burdened sva — after their own vatsakān — calves itaḥ tataḥ — here and there vilaṅghadbhiḥ — jumping go - vatsaiḥ — by the calves maṇḍitam — adorned sitaiḥ — white go - doha — of the milking of the cows śabda — by the sounds abhiravam — reverberating veṇūnām — of flutes niḥsvanena — with the loud vibration ca — and gāyantībhiḥ — who were singing ca — and karmāṇi — about the deeds śubhāni — auspicious bala - kṛṣṇayoḥ — of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa su — finely alaṅkṛtābhiḥ — ornamented gopībhiḥ — with the cowherd women gopaiḥ — the cowherd men ca — and su - virājitam — resplendent agni — of the sacrificial fire arka — the sun atithi — guests go — the cows vipra — the brāhmaṇas pitṛ — forefathers deva — and demigods arcana — with worship anvitaiḥ — filled dhūpa — with incense dīpaiḥ — lamps ca — and mālyaiḥ — with flower garlands ca — also gopa - āvāsaiḥ — because of the homes of the cowherds manaḥ - ramam — very attractive sarvataḥ — on all sides puṣpita — flowering vanam — with the forest dvija — of birds ali — and bees kula — with the swarms nāditam — resounding haṁsa — with swans kāraṇḍava — and a certain species of duck ākīrṇaiḥ — crowded padma - ṣaṇḍaiḥ — with bowers of lotuses ca — and maṇḍitam — beautified .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vāsitārthe ’bhiyudhyadbhir
vāsita
of the fertile (cows)
arthe
for the sake
nāditaṁ śuśmibhir vṛṣaiḥ
dhāvantībhiś ca vāsrābhir
abhiyudhyadbhiḥ
who were fighting with one another
udho-bhāraiḥ sva-vatsakān
itas tato vilaṅghadbhir
go-vatsair maṇḍitaṁ sitaiḥ
go-doha-śabdābhiravaṁ
veṇūnāṁ niḥsvanena ca
nāditam
resounding
gāyantībhiś ca karmāṇi
śubhāni bala-kṛṣṇayoḥ
śuśmibhiḥ
sexually aroused
vṛṣaiḥ
with the bulls
sv-alaṅkṛtābhir gopībhir
gopaiś ca su-virājitam
agny-arkātithi-go-vipra-
pitṛ-devārcanānvitaiḥ
dhūpa-dīpaiś ca mālyaiś ca
dhāvantībhiḥ
running
ca
and
gopāvāsair mano-ramam
vāsrābhiḥ
with the cows
udhaḥ
by their udders
bhāraiḥ
burdened
sva
after their own
sarvataḥ puṣpita-vanaṁ
vatsakān
calves
itaḥ tataḥ
here and there
dvijāli-kula-nāditam
vilaṅghadbhiḥ
jumping
go - vatsaiḥ
by the calves
haṁsa-kāraṇḍavākīrṇaiḥ
padma-ṣaṇḍaiś ca maṇḍitam
maṇḍitam
adorned
sitaiḥ
white
go - doha
of the milking of the cows
śabda
by the sounds
abhiravam
reverberating
veṇūnām
of flutes
niḥsvanena
with the loud vibration
ca
and
gāyantībhiḥ
who were singing
ca
and
karmāṇi
about the deeds
śubhāni
auspicious
bala - kṛṣṇayoḥ
of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa
su
finely
alaṅkṛtābhiḥ
ornamented
gopībhiḥ
with the cowherd women
gopaiḥ
the cowherd men
ca
and
su - virājitam
resplendent
agni
of the sacrificial fire
arka
the sun
atithi
guests
go
the cows
vipra
the brāhmaṇas
pitṛ
forefathers
deva
and demigods
arcana
with worship
anvitaiḥ
filled
dhūpa
with incense
dīpaiḥ
lamps
ca
and
mālyaiḥ
with flower garlands
ca
also
gopa - āvāsaiḥ
because of the homes of the cowherds
manaḥ - ramam
very attractive
sarvataḥ
on all sides
puṣpita
flowering
vanam
with the forest
dvija
of birds
ali
and bees
kula
with the swarms
nāditam
resounding
haṁsa
with swans
kāraṇḍava
and a certain species of duck
ākīrṇaiḥ
crowded
padma - ṣaṇḍaiḥ
with bowers of lotuses
ca
and
maṇḍitam
beautified .
  • gāyantībhiḥ — (women) singing
    Feminine plural present participle of √gai. The gopīs sing bala-kṛṣṇayoḥ karmāṇi — the deeds of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa — over their daily labor. This is the textual root of Gauḍīya kīrtana-saṅkīrtana as agricultural soundtrack.
  • bala - kṛṣṇayoḥ — of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa
    Genitive dual: the two brothers as one rasa-object. Vraja never sings of Kṛṣṇa without Balarāma — sakhya-rasa is structurally two-bodied. Gauḍīyas hold this dual form as a hint of the Caitanya-Nityānanda pair to come.
  • agni - arka - atithi - go - vipra - pitṛ - deva - arcana — worship of the sacrificial fire, the sun, guests, cows, brāhmaṇas, forefathers, and the demigods
    Compound listing the seven pañca-yajña-extended objects of daily honor. The Bhāgavatam takes pains to record that Vraja's piety is not bypassed by its love for Kṛṣṇa — varṇāśrama-duty and parā-bhakti coexist there. Gauḍīya gṛhastha-paddhati cites this verse.
  • veṇūnām — of the flutes
    Genitive plural of veṇu. Not Kṛṣṇa's own flute (singular, in His hand at Mathurā) but the cowherds' many flutes — the dhāma is full of veṇu even when its supreme veṇu-pati is absent. The instrument refuses to fall silent.
  • vāsita — fertile (cows)
    Feminine past participle — cows in heat. The Bhāgavatam's realism: Vraja's economy of love includes its animal reproductive rhythms. Gauḍīya commentators do not euphemize; they read the vāsita-cows as the natural correspondent of the gopīs' own kāma toward Kṛṣṇa.
  • padma - ṣaṇḍaiḥ — with bowers of lotuses
    Compound: padma (lotus) + ṣaṇḍa (cluster). The verse closes the panorama with lotus-thickets — the standing emblem of Kṛṣṇa's eyes, feet, face. Vraja's landscape itself is a continuous citation of His features.
Gokula resounded on all sides with the sounds of bulls in rut fighting with one another for fertile cows; with the mooing of cows, burdened by their udders, chasing after their calves; with the noise of milking and of the white calves jumping here and there; with the loud reverberation of flute-playing; and with the singing of the all-auspicious deeds of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma by the cowherd men and women, who made the village resplendent with their wonderfully ornamented attire. The cowherds’ homes in Gokula appeared most charming with their abundant paraphernalia for worship of the sacrificial fire, the sun, unexpected guests, the cows, the brāhmaṇas, the forefathers and the demigods. On all sides lay the flowering forest, echoing with flocks of birds and swarms of bees and beautified by its lakes crowded with swans, kāraṇḍava ducks and bowers of lotuses.

Although Gokula was merged in grief because of separation from Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Lord expanded His internal potency to cover that particular manifestation of Vraja and allow Uddhava to see the normal bustle and joy of Vraja at sunset.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Gokula resounded on all sides with the sounds of bulls in rut fighting with one another for fertile cows; with the mooing of cows, burdened by their udders, chasing after their calves; with the noise of milking and of the white calves jumping here and there; with the loud reverberation of flute-playing; and with the singing of the all-auspicious deeds of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma by the cowherd men and women, who made the village resplendent with their wonderfully ornamented attire. The cowherds' homes in Gokula appeared most charming with their abundant paraphernalia for worship of the sacrificial fire, the sun, unexpected guests, the cows, the brāhmaṇas, the forefathers and the demigods. On all sides lay the flowering forest, echoing with flocks of birds and swarms of bees and beautified by its lakes crowded with swans, kāraṇḍava ducks and bowers of lotuses.
Commentary

Vraja is described in five verses. Inspired by the Lord’s iccha sakti, yogamaya said, "Let Uddahva see the splendor of my Vraja." Covering separation from Krsna--grief expressed through the sancari bhavas of nirveda, visada and dainya, she showed Uddhava a typical evening in Vraja in which Krsna was present, with positive sentiments of joy, eagerness, enthusiasm etc. Because the cows were in heat (vasitah), the maddened bulls were mooing loudly and fighting with each other to mate with the cows. Vraja echoed with the sounds of the cows who were running towards their new calves. Along with the sound of milking cows there were shouts in all directions such as "Let the cow loose" "Don’t let the cow loose" "Bring the cows here" Let the cows go." "Do this quickly" "Do this slowly." "Bring this." "Take this." "Give this. Receive this." There was also the sound of the flute, and the singing of the gopis. By all this Vraja appeared splendid. Vraja was made attractive by the houses of the cowherd men in which sacrifices and worship were performed.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Five verses describe the scene which gave joy to Uddhava. Yudhyadbhiḥ means “fighting with.” Vatsakān means calves which were objects of compassion. The cows and calves were brilliant white. The place was filled with the sound of milking cows. The place was made beautiful with the sound of flutes and with ornamented cowherds and women. The women described here are not the gopīs of Kṛṣṇa since those gopīs have already been described as giving up interest in their bodies. The cowherds described in this verse were those other than the cowherd boys like Śrīdāmā. After the depiction of normal activity, a depiction of Vedic activities is given. Respect was given to the sun and fire by daily sacrifice and worship, to the cows by feeding etc, and to the guests, brāhmaṇas, devatās and Pitṛs by proper respect. Or the fire, the sun, the guest, the cow, and the brāhmaṇa are the abodes where the Lord can be worshipped. The Pitṛs and devatās are necessarily to be worshipped in one’s house (by persons following dharma). As devotees the people of Vraja took all these entities as intimately related with Kṛṣṇa and thus worshipped them. Though the people of Vraja, most worthy of worship by the greatest souls, do not have to act according to the rules, as part of the pastimes they follow rules of dharma just like the Lord. But it is shown here that as vaiśyas of the abhīra group, Kṛṣṇa and the inhabitants of Vraja were twice born (able to perform sacrifices etc.). At the name giving ceremony of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma it was said: perform the saṁskāras of the twice born. (SB 10.8.10) kṛṣi-vāṇijya-go-rakṣā kusīdaṁ tūryam ucyate vārtā catur-vidhā tatra vayaṁ go-vṛttayo ‘niśam The occupational duties of the vaiśya are conceived in four divisions: farming, commerce, cow protection and moneylending. Out of these, we are always engaged in cow protection. SB 10.24.21 The beauty within the houses is then described: the houses were decorated with garlands, lamps and incense. The beauty of the surrounding environment is then described. The forests were replete with birds and flowers and decorated with groups of lotuses growing in the lakes.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Five verses describe the scene which gave joy to Uddhava. The cause of dust being raised is explained. There were sounds made by fighting bulls. Ca indicates the cows were mooing. The calves were newly born (vatsakān). Buffaloes are excluded in this description. The place was ornamented with white calves jumping about, or with cows running about, affectionate to their calves (go-vatsaiḥ). Though the cows and bulls were generally white, the new calves were especially white with purity. Having described the bliss of the animals, the activities of the cowherds is described. The sound of milking mixed with the sound of flutes (and other instruments not described). The flute sound can be connect with nāditam in the previous verse. The bliss of the gopīs is then described. They sang about the auspicious activities of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, while weeping with prema (ca). Though persons suffering greatly should not be causes of joy, since they appear dirty and disturbed, they manifest indescribable beauty because of astonishing deep prema for the Lord in spite of the dirt, and attractiveness in spite of their deformity. The bliss because of the beauty of the gopīs is described. They decorated themselves nicely with ornaments sent by the Lord, in order to please him. They thought that when he came, he would see them and be happy. The cowherds were also ornamented (ca). This made everything especially beautiful (su-virājitam). The bliss from a wealth of dharma is described. Fire and the sun were worshipped by nitya-homas. Cows were worshipped by feeding them. Guests, brāhmaṇas, pitṛs and devatās were worshipped by offerings. Or the first five are receptacles in which the Lord is worshipped. Worship of pitṛs and devatās is obligatory for householders. The houses were attractive with this worship. Though the people of Vraja are not obliligated to worship, being great devotees, like the Lord they perform these actions as pastimes. The bliss from the ingredients is described. The specific items are mentioned because of their auspiciousness. Flags and banners should also be included. The incense and garlands were for the worship or were decorations on the houses. Having described the bliss of the village, the outer areas are described. Since Vṛndāvana is the shelter of everything, in all places there were flowering trees and creepers and lakes full of swans and ducks and lotuses. Previously the joy of the cows and bulls was described. In the forests as well the animals were joyful. The cowherds thought that Kṛṣṇa would quickly return because of his words “I will come to see my relatives.”

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)
Related verses
Concepts
Dharma
Gokula resounds with fighting bulls, mooing cows chasing calves, milking sounds, jumping calves, flute reverberations and song — even in grief at Kṛṣṇa's absence, Vraja's life-rhythm continues by His internal potency. Ordinary life carries on alongside spiritual longing.
Reflection Questions
  • Where does life-rhythm continue around you even in your spiritual longing?
  • Could you appreciate the ordinary sounds of your 'Gokula' as sustained by the Lord?

Vraja at evening is not silent in Kṛṣṇa's absence — it is loud with cows, calves, bulls, flutes, and the singing of His names. The dhāma carries on as a continuous kīrtana of His pastimes. Uddhava sees, before he speaks to anyone, that Vraja's mourning is sung, not muted.

The Six Gosvāmīs recovering Vraja

When Caitanya Mahāprabhu sent Rūpa and Sanātana to Vṛndāvana, the forest was overgrown and the līlā-sites lost. They walked the riverbanks and the hills until each kuñja was recovered, then taught the locals to sing kṛṣṇa-līlā into the daily work of milking and gardening.

The Vraja Uddhava sees in 10.46.9-13 — gopīs singing bala-kṛṣṇayoḥ karmāṇi over the milking, cowherds worshiping fire and forefathers, flutes in the air — is the same dhāma the Gosvāmīs recovered. Vraja's defining feature is not Kṛṣṇa's bodily presence but His name in every mouth and labor.

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