Shloka 65

प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

नमो ब्रह्मण्यदेवाय गोब्राह्मणहिताय च जगद्धिताय कृष्णाय गोविन्दाय नमो नमः

Transliteration

namo brahmaṇyadevāya gobrāhmaṇahitāya ca jagaddhitāya kṛṣṇāya govindāya namo namaḥ

Translation

Salutations again and again to Brahmanya-deva, upholder of sacred order; to Him who seeks the welfare of cows and Brahmins; to Kṛṣṇa, to Govinda, who wills the good of the whole world—I bow in reverence.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayoga (Salutation formula)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (नमस्कारार्थक-निपात)

• ब्रह्मण्यदेवाय: to the deity devoted to Brahman
• ब्रह्मण्यदेवाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मण्यदेव (प्रातिपदिक: ब्रह्मण्य+देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन = Masculine, Dative singular; समासः: कर्मधारय ('Brahman-favoring deity')

• गोब्राह्मणहिताय: to the benefactor of cows and Brahmins
• गोब्राह्मणहिताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोब्राह्मणहित (प्रातिपदिक: गो+ब्राह्मण+हित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन = Masculine, Dative singular; समासः: तत्पुरुष (गवां ब्राह्मणानां च हितः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) = conjunction 'and'

• जगद्धिताय: to the benefactor of the world
• जगद्धिताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगद्धित (प्रातिपदिक: जगत्+हित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन = Masculine, Dative singular; समासः: तत्पुरुष ('for the welfare of the world')

• कृष्णाय: to Krishna
• कृष्णाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन = Masculine, Dative singular

• गोविन्दाय: to Govinda
• गोविन्दाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन = Masculine, Dative singular

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayoga (Salutation formula)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (नमस्कारार्थक-निपात)

• नमः: salutation again
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayoga (Salutation formula)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (पुनरुक्ति-नमस्कार) = repeated salutation

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in discourse to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He descends to uphold dharma by protecting the virtuous and ensuring the welfare of the world.

Leela: Loka-rakshana (world-protection)

Dharma Restored: Protection of sacred order—care for cows, Brahmins, and the righteous as pillars of society.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True devotion praises the Lord as brahmaṇya (protector of sacred order) and as jagad-hita (wisher of universal good).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Align personal devotion with lokasaṅgraha: serve society—protect the vulnerable, support learning and ethical leadership, practice compassion in livelihood.

Vishishtadvaita: The personal Lord ‘Kṛṣṇa/Govinda’ is the supreme object of surrender whose grace expresses as protection of dharma in the world.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna (personal)

Bhakti Type: Dasya (servant)

Vyuha Form: Vasudeva

Lakshmi Presence: Sri (fortune)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Krishna
• Brahmins
• Cows

FAQs

What is the significance of “go-brāhmaṇa-hita” in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents Vishnu as the guardian of dharma in society—protecting the sanctity of life (cows) and sacred learning/ritual order (Brahmins) as pillars of universal well-being.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Vishnu’s role in universal welfare here?

By calling him “jagad-hita,” Parāśara frames Vishnu as the sovereign benefactor whose protection is not sectarian but extends to the entire cosmos and its moral order.

What is the theological importance of naming Vishnu as Krishna and Govinda in this verse?

The verse identifies the Supreme Lord with personal, devotional names—emphasizing a transcendent yet approachable Vishnu who actively sustains dharma and blesses the world.