Shloka 41

Yoga-māyā Appears as Durgā; Kaṁsa’s Repentance and the Demonic Policy of Persecuting Vaiṣṇavas

Devanagari script

विप्रा गावश्च वेदाश्च तप: सत्यं दम: शम: । श्रद्धा दया तितिक्षा च क्रतवश्च हरेस्तनू: ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

viprā gāvaś ca vedāś ca tapaḥ satyaṁ damaḥ śamaḥ śraddhā dayā titikṣā ca kratavaś ca hares tanūḥ

Translation

The brahmanas, the cows, Vedic knowledge, austerity, truthfulness, control of the mind and senses, faith, mercy, tolerance and sacrifice are the different parts of the body of Lord Vishnu, and they are the paraphernalia for a godly civilization.

Synonyms

• विप्राः: brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), बहुवचन

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

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

• वेदाः: the Vedas
• वेदाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), बहुवचन

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

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• दमः: self-control (restraint)
• दमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• शमः: tranquility
• शमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• श्रद्धा: faith
• श्रद्धा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• दया: compassion
• दया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• तितिक्षा: forbearance
• तितिक्षा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तितिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

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

• क्रतवः: sacrificial rites
• क्रतवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), बहुवचन

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

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th), एकवचन

• तनूः: bodies, embodiments
• तनूः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), बहुवचन; poetic for तनवः

Purport

When we offer our obeisances to the Personality of Godhead, we say:

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about protecting brāhmaṇas and cows?

This verse says brāhmaṇas and cows are among the very ‘bodies’ of Lord Hari, so harming or neglecting them is treated as an offense against the Lord and against dharma.

Why did Vasudeva say this in Canto 10 Chapter 4?

In the Kaṁsa narrative, Vasudeva emphasizes that core pillars of dharma—Vedas, austerity, truth, self-control, compassion, and yajña—are non-different from Hari, urging reverence and restraint amid Kaṁsa’s violent irreligion.

Practical application of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance from this shloka in modern life?

Practice satya (honesty), dayā (kindness), and titikṣā (patience) as daily devotion—seeing these virtues as service to Hari, not merely ethics.