SB 10.61.35 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

नैवाक्षकोविदा यूयं गोपाला वनगोचरा: । अक्षैर्दीव्यन्ति राजानो बाणैश्च न भवाद‍ृशा: ॥ ३५ ॥

Verse text

naivākṣa-kovidā yūyaṁ gopālā vana-gocarāḥ akṣair dīvyanti rājāno bāṇaiś ca na bhavādṛśāḥ

Synonyms

na — not ; eva — indeed ; akṣa — in playing at dice ; kovidāḥ — expert ; yūyam — You ; gopālāḥ — cowherds ; vana — in the forest ; gocarāḥ — ranging about ; akṣaiḥ — with dice ; dīvyanti — play ; rājānaḥ — kings ; bāṇaiḥ — with arrows ; ca — and ; na — not ; bhavādṛśāḥ — the likes of You .

Translation

[Rukmī said:] You cowherds who wander about the forests know nothing about dice. Playing with dice and sporting with arrows are only for kings, not for the likes of You.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

[Rukmī said:] You cowherds who wander about the forests know nothing about dice. Playing with dice and sporting with arrows are only for kings, not for the likes of You. KB 10.61.35 “My dear Balarāmajī, You two brothers, cowherd boys only, may be very expert in tending cows, but how can You be expert in playing chess or shooting arrows on the battlefield? These arts are well known only to the princely order.”

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

When the sinful kings were giving false testimony that Rukmi had won, a voice said, "Balaram speaks correctly, and has won. Rukmi speaks a lie."

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

Rukmī addressed Balarāma in the plural (yuyam—you) to indicate that Balarāma was an associate of Kṛṣṇa. You are ignorant because you are cowherds, of lower birth, who wander in the forest. However there is a hidden meaning in those words by which he accidently praises Balarāma. You protect (pālāḥ) the cows and the earth (go). You are the objects of meditation (gocarāḥ) in solitary forests. But persons like you are not learned at gambling matches at all because persons intoxicated with wealth (rājānaḥ) enjoy committing violence to others by arrows and gambling. This is not seen in you or your devotees. We do not know, but your devotees know your actions which are performed as your independent pastimes.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

Rukmī addressed Balarāma in the plural (yuyam—you) to indicate that Balarāma was an associate of Kṛṣṇa. You are cowherds with simple minds. Wandering in the forest you do not associate with city people and are devoid of skill.