Vishnu Purana — Amsha 5 - Krishna Avatara, Shloka 4

इन्द्रक्रोधः, संवर्तक-वर्षणम्, गोवर्धनधारण-लीला

Devanagari script

आजीवो यः परस् तेषां गोपत्वस्य च कारणम् ता गावो वृष्टिपातेन पीड्यन्तां वचनान् मम

Transliteration

ājīvo yaḥ paras teṣāṃ gopatvasya ca kāraṇam tā gāvo vṛṣṭipātena pīḍyantāṃ vacanān mama

Translation

ذاك الذي هو معاشهم الأعلى وسبب حياتهم كرعاة بقر—فبحسب أمري، لتُصَبَّ على تلك الأبقار أمطارٌ غزيرة تُؤلمها وتُنهكها.

Word by Word

• आजीवः: livelihood
• आजीवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आजीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यः: which/who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• परः: supreme/primary
• परः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; आजीवः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• गोपत्वस्य: of cowherd-hood
• गोपत्वस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपत्व (प्रातिपदिक) = गोप + त्व
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (यः... सः) इत्यर्थे विधेय

• ताः: those (them)
• ताः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; गावः इत्यस्य निर्देशः

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• वृष्टिपातेन: by rainfall/downpour
• वृष्टिपातेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्टिपात (प्रातिपदिक) = वृष्टि + पात
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वृष्टेः पातः)

• पीड्यन्ताम्: let (them) be afflicted
• पीड्यन्ताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पीड् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, तृतीयपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive)

• वचनान्: words/commands
• वचनान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

Speaker

Indra (issuing a command, in the narrative recounted by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna becomes the sole refuge of the cowherds when Indra targets their livelihood (cattle and pastoral economy) through excessive rain.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of innocent dependents and reassertion that true sustenance flows from Bhagavān, not from coercive fear of devas.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Power used to punish devotion becomes adharma, especially when it targets the innocent and their means of life.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use authority with restraint; do not weaponize nature, institutions, or resources against others’ sincere religious choices.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān’s devotees and their welfare are under his special protection (rakṣakatva), underscoring personal theism within non-dual dependence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Cows (Gāvaḥ)

FAQs

What is the significance of rain and Indra’s command in the Vishnu Purana?

Rain functions as a symbol of cosmic governance; Indra’s order to unleash oppressive rainfall dramatizes how pride can distort the rightful administration of natural forces.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the conflict behind this verse?

Parāśara narrates a dialogue-driven episode where divine authority is challenged by misplaced ego, setting the stage for a higher theological principle: true protection ultimately belongs to the Supreme (Vishnu/Krishna), not to subordinate gods acting from self-interest.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when not named in the verse, the episode frames Vishnu as the Supreme Reality whose shelter surpasses contingent powers—reinforcing Vaishnava teaching that all cosmic functions depend upon the Highest Lord.