Shloka 21

शरद्वर्णनं, योगोपमा, तथा गोवर्धन-यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्

Devanagari script

क्षीरवत्य इमा गावो वत्सवत्यश् च निर्वृताः तेन संवर्धितैः सस्यैस् तुष्टाः पुष्टा भवन्ति वै

Transliteration

kṣīravatya imā gāvo vatsavatyaś ca nirvṛtāḥ tena saṃvardhitaiḥ sasyais tuṣṭāḥ puṣṭā bhavanti vai

Translation

These cows, rich in milk and rejoicing with their calves, become serene; and by the harvests nourished thereby, they are truly satisfied and well-fed.

Word by Word

• क्षीरवत्यः: abounding in milk
• क्षीरवत्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीरवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying गावः)

• इमाः: these
• इमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying गावः)

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

• वत्सवत्यः: having calves
• वत्सवत्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वत्सवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying गावः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• निर्वृताः: content, satisfied
• निर्वृताः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + वृत् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (content/satisfied)

• तेन: by that/thereby
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• संवर्धितैः: nourished, increased
• संवर्धितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + वर्ध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying सस्यैः)

• सस्यैः: by crops (fodder/grain)
• सस्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• तुष्टाः: pleased
• तुष्टाः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (pleased)

• पुष्टाः: well-fed, nourished
• पुष्टाः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (well-nourished)

• भवन्ति: become, are
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु; परस्मैपद)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis/indeed)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The practical benefits of rain and harvest upon cows and the Vraja community.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: pastoral-instructive

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To ground the discussion of worship in Vraja’s lived economy—cows and crops—preparing the shift from Indra-yajña to Govardhana-centered devotion.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Sustaining pastoral dharma (go-rakṣaṇa and right livelihood) as a sacred duty under divine order.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When nature is rightly supported (rain → grain), creatures flourish; prosperity is a dharmic outcome of harmonious participation in the divine order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Support ecological and community well-being—care for animals, land, and food systems—as part of spiritual life.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhūmi and living beings prosper within the Lord’s ordered embodiment; caring for the Lord’s ‘body’ (jagat) becomes a form of service.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Characters & Entities

• Cows (Gāvaḥ)
• Calves (Vatsa)
• Crops/Grains (Sasya)

FAQs

What is the significance of cows and crops in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, cows (milk and calves) and crops (sasyas) symbolize a well-ordered world where nourishment and prosperity arise when the sustaining principle behind creation supports growth.

How does Sage Parāśara explain prosperity in this context?

Parāśara frames prosperity as a chain of support: growth is fostered (“saṃvardhita”), harvests increase, and living beings (here, cows with calves) become satisfied and nourished—implying an underlying cosmic governance rather than mere chance.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when not named directly, the Purana’s theology treats Vishnu as the supreme sustaining reality whose ordinance upholds fertility and nourishment, making abundance a sign of alignment with cosmic dharma.