Shloka 25

शरद्वर्णनं, योगोपमा, तथा गोवर्धन-यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्

Devanagari script

नन्दगोपस्य वचनं श्रुत्वेत्थं शक्रपूजने कोपाय त्रिदशेन्द्रस्य प्राह दामोदरस् तदा

Transliteration

nandagopasya vacanaṃ śrutvetthaṃ śakrapūjane kopāya tridaśendrasya prāha dāmodaras tadā

Translation

Hearing Nanda Gopa speak thus about the worship of Śakra (Indra), Dāmodara then spoke, foreseeing that the lord of the gods would be provoked to anger.

Word by Word

• nandagopasya: of Nandagopa
• nandagopasya: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nanda (प्रातिपदिक) + gopa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नाम-समास): ‘नन्दः गोपः’ (proper name)

• vacanam: speech, statement
• vacanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Purvakala-Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having heard’

• ittham: thus
• ittham: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus/in this manner)

• śakra-pūjane: in/with regard to the worship of Śakra
• śakra-pūjane: Adhikarana (Topic/Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘शक्रस्य पूजनम्’

• kopāya: for anger, to (provoke) anger
• kopāya: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kopa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• tridaśendrasya: of the lord of the gods (Indra)
• tridaśendrasya: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tridaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘त्रिदशानाम् इन्द्रः’

• prāha: said/spoke
• prāha: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (अह्/ब्रू)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• dāmodaraḥ: Dāmodara (Krishna)
• dāmodaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāma (प्रातिपदिक) + udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: ‘दाम उदरे यस्य सः’ (one who has a rope on his belly)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Sambandha (Temporal adverb/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: then)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya); within the scene, Dāmodara (Krishna) is about to speak

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa anticipates Indra’s anger and initiates a teaching-līlā that will protect Vraja and correct celestial pride.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Humility of devas and proper direction of worship; safeguarding Vraja’s welfare

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True divinity is not threatened by loss of praise; anger over worship reveals ego and calls for correction.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Examine spiritual practice for ego-dependence on recognition; cultivate humility and God-centered devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: The Supreme orchestrates events to reorient devotion and restore harmony among divine and human orders.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Nanda (Nandagopa)
• Śakra (Indra)
• Dāmodara (Krishna)
• Tridaśendra (Lord of the Devas)

FAQs

What is the significance of Śakra (Indra) worship in this Vishnu Purana passage?

It sets the stage for a critique of ritual that is driven by fear or worldly gain, and introduces the coming confrontation that reveals Indra’s pride and Krishna’s higher spiritual authority.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the conflict between Krishna and Indra here?

Parāśara signals the narrative turning point: Krishna anticipates Indra’s anger and responds deliberately, showing that divine events unfold under the guidance of the Supreme rather than deva caprice.

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

Krishna is portrayed as Dāmodara—the Supreme who governs even the gods—using the episode to reorient devotion and dharma beyond subordinate celestial powers.