Shloka 23

Govardhana-dhāraṇa: Kṛṣṇa Lifts Govardhana and Humbles Indra

Devanagari script

क्षुत्तृड्‍‌‌‌व्यथां सुखापेक्षां हित्वा तैर्व्रजवासिभि: । वीक्ष्यमाणो दधाराद्रिं सप्ताहं नाचलत् पदात् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

kṣut-tṛḍ-vyathāṁ sukhāpekṣāṁ hitvā tair vraja-vāsibhiḥ vīkṣyamāṇo dadhārādriṁ saptāhaṁ nācalat padāt

Translation

Forgetting hunger and thirst and setting aside all thought of personal comfort, Lord Kṛṣṇa stood holding up the hill for seven days as the people of Vraja gazed upon Him, without moving from His place.

Synonyms

• kṣut-tṛṭ-vyathām: the pain of hunger and thirst
• kṣut-tṛṭ-vyathām: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘hitvā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣut (प्रातिपदिक) + tṛṭ (प्रातिपदिक) + vyathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana; samāhāra/tatpuruṣa sense ‘the distress of hunger and thirst’

• sukha-apekṣām: the desire for comfort
• sukha-apekṣām: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘hitvā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक) + apekṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana; tatpuruṣa ‘sukhasya apekṣā’ = ‘desire/expectation of comfort’

• hitvā: having given up
• hitvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hā (धातु) → hitvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having abandoned’

• taiḥ: by them
• taiḥ: Sahakārī/Karaṇa (सहकारी/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Tṛtīyā (instrumental), Bahu-vacana

• vraja-vāsibhiḥ: by the residents of Vraja
• vraja-vāsibhiḥ: Sahakārī/Karaṇa (करण/agent-instrument in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vraja (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā (instrumental), Bahu-vacana; tatpuruṣa ‘vraje vāsinaḥ’

• vīkṣyamāṇaḥ: being watched
• vīkṣyamāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier of subject ‘bhagavān/kṛṣṇaḥ’ implied)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + īkṣ (धातु) → vīkṣyamāṇa (कृदन्त, शानच्)
• Form: Present passive participle (शानच्), Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; ‘being looked at’

• dadhāra: held up
• dadhāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, Perfect), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Eka-vacana

• adrim: the mountain
• adrim: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana

• saptāham: for seven days
• saptāham: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sapta (प्रातिपदिक) + aha(n) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव) time-adverb ‘for seven days’ (सप्त-अहः) used adverbially

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, negation

• acalat: moved
• acalat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cal (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, Aorist/Imperfect-like narrative), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Eka-vacana

• padāt: from his place/footing
• padāt: Apādāna (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsaka, Pañcamī (ablative), Eka-vacana; ‘from (his) foot/position’

Purport

According to the Viṣṇu Purāṇa:

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Vraja-vāsīs (residents of Vraja)
• Govardhana (the mountain)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna lifting Govardhana for seven days?

This verse states that Kṛṣṇa held Govardhana for seven days without moving from His place, setting aside hunger, thirst, fatigue, and personal comfort, while the Vrajavāsīs watched.

Why did Krishna ignore hunger, thirst, and fatigue while protecting the Vrajavasis?

The narrative emphasizes Kṛṣṇa’s supreme potency and His vow-like protectiveness: He prioritizes the shelter and safety of His devotees over any consideration of His own comfort.

Practical application of Krishna’s Govardhana pastime in modern life?

Serve and protect others with steadiness and responsibility; in devotion, learn to put duty and care for dependents above personal convenience—while trusting divine shelter in crises.