FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.23.17

గాశ్చారయన్ స గోపాలై: సరామో దూరమాగత: । బుభుక్షితస్య తస్యాన్నం సానుగస్య ప్రదీయతామ్ ॥ ౧౭ ॥
gāś cārayan sa gopālaiḥ
[gaash chaarayan sa gopaalaih]
sa-rāmo dūram āgataḥ
[sa-raamo dooram aagatah]
bubhukṣitasya tasyānnaṁ
[bubhukshitasya tasyaannam]
sānugasya pradīyatām
[saanugasya pradeeyataam]
gāḥ — the cows cārayan — tending saḥ — He gopālaiḥ — in the company of the cowherd boys sa - rāmaḥ — together with Lord Balarāma dūram — from far away āgataḥ — has come bubhukṣitasya — who is hungry tasya — for Him annam — food sa - anugasya — together with His companions pradīyatām — should be given .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
gāś cārayan sa gopālaiḥ
gāḥ
the cows
cārayan
tending
saḥ
He
gopālaiḥ
in the company of the cowherd boys
sa-rāmo dūram āgataḥ
sa - rāmaḥ
together with Lord Balarāma
dūram
from far away
āgataḥ
has come
bubhukṣitasya tasyānnaṁ
bubhukṣitasya
who is hungry
tasya
for Him
annam
food
sānugasya pradīyatām
sa - anugasya
together with His companions
pradīyatām
should be given .
  • cārayan — tending
    Present participle of √car. The Lord of all is described as 'one who tends cows' — the operative verb of His Vraja-līlā. Caraṇam: He has come to this work willingly.
  • sa-rāmaḥ — together with Lord Balarāma
    Compound: sa (with) + rāmaḥ (Balarāma). Even in a one-line request, the elder brother is named alongside. Vraja never separates the two.
  • bubhukṣitasya — of Him who is hungry
    Desiderative genitive of √bhuj. Bhagavān's hunger named in the highest grammatical formality. The form is reverent, the content is mundane — exactly the chapter's tension.
  • sa-anugasya — together with His companions
    Compound: sa (with) + anugasya (genitive of anuga, follower). Kṛṣṇa never eats without His sakhās. Gauḍīyas: this is the prototype of prasāda-vitaraṇa — Bhagavān's meal is communal by definition.
  • pradīyatām — should be given
    Passive imperative of pra + √dā. Polite request-form. The boys do not demand; they leave the agency to the wives — and the wives accept it instantly.
He has come a long way with the cowherd boys and Lord Balarāma, tending the cows. Now He is hungry, so some food should be given for Him and His companions.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
He has come a long way with the cowherd boys and Lord Balarāma, tending the cows. Now He is hungry, so some food should be given for Him and His companions.
Commentary

Hearing Krsna’s name they began to faint in bliss. To bring them back to consciousness, the boys began to explain why they had come to their houses, beginning in a gentle way, and ending boldly. "Krsna and Balarama are not far off (aduram)." Seeing they had become alert on hearing this, the boys then thought of exciting them by mentioning that Krsna and Balarama wanted some food. "Krsna and his friends are suffering from hunger."

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

They call Balarāma by the name Rāma to indicate that he always gives joy to Kṛṣṇa. They do not show formality at this time. Previously Kṛṣṇa used the name Saṅkarṣaṇa to indicate Balarāma’s powers. But the boys called him Rāma to indicate his absorption in Kṛṣṇa. Previously it was suitable to show reverence, but now because of the attraction for Kṛṣṇa in the wives, such reverence was not necessary. Another version has aduramitaḥ. This is repetition, to indicate that they can go and meet Kṛṣṇa. Food should be given to Kṛṣṇa along with Balarāma and the other boys (sānugasya). It should be given excellently, with sweet rice and cups for drinking. Previously on instructions they only asked for rice for the two boys. Now they asked for excellent food for everyone, without having received instructions. They joke with them because of hearing about the wives’ great attraction to Kṛṣṇa. It was possible that they would go quickly to Kṛṣṇa without bringing any food.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

They call Balarāma by the name Rāma to indicate that he always gives joy to Kṛṣṇa. They do not show formality at this time. He has travelled far from his house. Therefore they could not bring food with him. Or the word can be aduram (not far). He has come and is not far away. This is repetition from the previous verse. The wives could thus go to him. Give food to Kṛṣṇa with Balarāma and other followers (sānugasya) along with tasty sweet rice, water and cups (pra). Previously they asked the brāhmaṇas for rice only for the two boys but now they ask for others as well, and with other items also because they had heard of the wives great devotion to the Lord. The instruction of the Lord to get rice was only to get relief from hunger. Now they request rice or food for all the followers. If they only said that Kṛṣṇa had arrived, the wives may have quickly gone to meet him without bringing any food.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Udyama (Industriousness / Effort)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)
Related verses

A child telling neighbours that father walked far this morning and is hungry — the boys describe Kṛṣṇa's hunger in the same idiom one would use about an ordinary boy, and that very ordinariness is what melts the wives.

📝 My note

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