Shloka 5
Govardhana-dhāraṇa: Kṛṣṇa Lifts Govardhana and Humbles Indra
वाचालं बालिशं स्तब्धमज्ञं पण्डितमानिनम् । कृष्णं मर्त्यमुपाश्रित्य गोपा मे चक्रुरप्रियम् ॥ ५ ॥
vācālaṁ bāliśaṁ stabdham ajñaṁ paṇḍita-māninam kṛṣṇaṁ martyam upāśritya gopā me cakrur apriyam
By taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa—an ordinary mortal who is talkative, childish, stubborn, ignorant, yet imagines Himself a great scholar—the cowherd men have acted toward me with hostility and have done what is displeasing.
According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, through the insults of Indra Goddess Sarasvatī is actually praising Kṛṣṇa. The ācārya explains: “ Vācālam means ‘one who can speak according to Vedic authority.’ Bāliśam means ‘free from pretension, just like a child.’ Stabdham means that He bows down to no one because there is no one for Him to offer homage to, ajñam means that there is nothing more for Him to know because He is omniscient, paṇḍita-māninam means that He is highly honored by the knowers of the Absolute Truth, and kṛṣṇam means He is the Supreme Absolute Truth, whose transcendental form is full of eternity and ecstasy. Martyam means that although He is the Absolute Truth, He nevertheless appears in this world as a human being out of affection for His devotees.”
FAQs
This verse shows Indra’s arrogance and delusion: he insults Kṛṣṇa as a “mortal” and condemns the gopas for taking shelter of Him, revealing how pride blinds even powerful devas.
Because the Vrajavāsīs stopped Indra-yajña and performed Govardhana-pūjā on Kṛṣṇa’s guidance; Indra felt dishonored and, in anger, interpreted their devotion as rebellion.
It warns that status and power can create false ego; a practical takeaway is to avoid dismissing sincere devotion or wise guidance out of pride, and to evaluate actions with humility rather than hurt prestige.