Shloka 1

शरद्वर्णनं, योगोपमा, तथा गोवर्धन-यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्

Devanagari script

तयोर् विहरतोर् एवं रामकेशवयोर् व्रजे प्रावृड् _व्यतीता विकसत्सरोजा चाभवच् छरत्

Transliteration

tayor viharator evaṃ rāmakeśavayor vraje prāvṛḍ _vyatītā vikasatsarojā cābhavac charat

Translation

Thus, as Rāma and Keśava sported together in Vraja, the rainy season passed away; and autumn arrived—its lotus-blooms opening—like a gentle revealing of order after the turbulence of clouds.

Word by Word

• तयोः: of the two (of them)
• तयोः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/6th case), द्विवचन — Genitive dual

• विहरतोः: while the two were sporting
• विहरतोः: Adhikarana (Genitive absolute/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+हृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/शानच्-सम्भव वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle), षष्ठी, द्विवचन — Genitive dual; agreeing with ‘तयोः’ (genitive absolute sense)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: thus/in this manner)

• राम-केशवयोः: of Rāma and Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
• राम-केशवयोः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक) + केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, द्विवचन — Genitive dual; समासः: रामश्च केशवश्च (itaretara-dvandva)

• व्रजे: in Vraja
• व्रजे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/7th case), एकवचन — Locative singular

• प्रावृट्: the rainy season
• प्रावृट्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रावृट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st case), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• व्यतीता: passed away
• व्यतीता: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+अति+इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — agreeing with ‘प्रावृट्’

• विकसत्-सरोजा: (and) with lotuses blooming
• विकसत्-सरोजा: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकसत् (कृदन्त, कस्-धातोः शतृ) + सरोज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular; समासः: विकसत् सरोजं यस्याम्/या (descriptive)

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

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — 3rd person singular

• शरत्: autumn
• शरत्: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Continuation of Kṛṣṇa’s Vraja sports and the natural setting that frames his līlā.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: compassionate

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To delight the world through Vraja-līlā, where seasonal order itself becomes a backdrop for divine play that nourishes devotion.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Rhythmic harmony of life in Vraja—peace after turbulence—supporting the stable flourishing of devotion.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Just as autumn follows monsoon turbulence with clarity and blossoming, dharmic order and inner lucidity arise after periods of disturbance when life is aligned with the Divine.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use life’s ‘monsoon’ phases to cultivate patience; then, in calmer times, deepen practice with renewed clarity and steadiness.

Vishishtadvaita: Nature’s ordered beauty is experienced as a mode of the Lord’s presence—creation as his body—supporting devotion through immanent grace.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Balarama (Rama)
• Krishna (Keshava)
• Vraja (Vrindavana)
• Sharad (autumn)
• Pravrit (rainy season)
• Lotus (saroja)

FAQs

What is the significance of the seasonal transition (Pravrit to Sharad) in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks a narrative and symbolic shift from monsoon’s turbulence to autumn’s clarity, mirroring the restoration of harmony and order under the divine presence of Krishna (Keśava) in Vraja.

How does Sage Parāśara frame Krishna’s Vrindavana pastimes in this passage?

He situates the lila within the ritu-cycle, using nature’s rhythms—like the blooming lotus of Sharad—to underscore that the world’s beauty and order unfold around the Lord’s play.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (as Krishna/Keśava) in this context?

Krishna is presented as the Supreme who, even while appearing as a cowherd, remains the sustainer of cosmic order—nature’s seasons and their auspicious signs aligning with his presence.