Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 31

Govardhana-pūjā: Kṛṣṇa Redirects Indra-yajña to Worship of Govardhana, Cows, and Brāhmaṇas

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच कालात्मना भगवता शक्रदर्प जिघांसया । प्रोक्तं निशम्य नन्दाद्या: साध्वगृह्णन्त तद्वच: ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca kālātmanā bhagavatā śakra-darpa-jighāṁsayā proktaṁ niśamya nandādyāḥ sādhv agṛhṇanta tad-vacaḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who Himself is mighty Time, wished to shatter Indra’s pride. Hearing Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s words, Nanda and the other elders of Vraja accepted them as proper.

Synonyms

• श्री-शुकः: Śrī Śuka
• श्री-शुकः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘श्रीमान् शुकः’ (honored Śuka)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• काल-आत्मना: by (His) time-nature
• काल-आत्मना: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘कालस्य आत्मा’ → ‘whose nature is Time’; instrumental of agency/means

• भगवता: by the Lord
• भगवता: कर्ता (Agent in passive sense/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• शक्र-दर्प-जिघांसया: with the intent to destroy Indra’s pride
• शक्र-दर्प-जिघांसया: हेतु/करण (Cause/Instrument/हेतु-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्प (प्रातिपदिक) + जिघांसया (कृदन्त; हन् धातु, सन्/इच्छार्थ; ‘to slay’ desire)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘शक्रस्य दर्पः’ (Indra’s pride) + जिघांसया (instrumental of हेतुः/means): ‘with the desire to destroy’

• प्रोक्तम्: the statement spoken
• प्रोक्तम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र (उपसर्ग) + वच् (धातु), क्त
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) used as object: ‘that which was spoken’

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + शम्/शृ (धातु; ‘to hear’), ल्यप् (क्त्वा-सम)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having heard’

• नन्द-आद्याः: Nanda and the others
• नन्द-आद्याः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘नन्दः आदिः येषाम्’ (those headed by Nanda)

• साधु: well/indeed
• साधु: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रशंसावाचक अव्यय (approving adverb)

• अगृह्णन्त: accepted
• अगृह्णन्त: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past/लङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• तत्-वचः: his words
• तत्-वचः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘तस्य वचः’ (his words)

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Bhagavān (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Śakra (Indra)
• Nanda Mahārāja

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna humbling Indra’s pride?

This verse states that the Lord, acting as Time itself, spoke with the intention of destroying Śakra (Indra)’s pride, and the Vraja elders accepted His words as proper guidance.

Why did Nanda and the elders accept Krishna’s instruction in Canto 10 Chapter 24?

After hearing the Lord’s counsel, Nanda and the other leaders of Vraja recognized it as sound and auspicious, and thus they agreed to follow it.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

Accept wise, dharmic guidance—especially that which reduces ego and pride—as beneficial, even when it challenges established habits or social expectations.