Shloka 41

शरद्वर्णनं, योगोपमा, तथा गोवर्धन-यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्

Devanagari script

एतन् मम मतं गोपाः संप्रीत्या क्रियते यदि ततः कृता भवेत् प्रीतिर् गवाम् अद्रेस् तथा मम

Transliteration

etan mama mataṃ gopāḥ saṃprītyā kriyate yadi tataḥ kṛtā bhavet prītir gavām adres tathā mama

Translation

This is my considered view, O cowherds: if it is carried out with glad devotion, then goodwill will be secured—cattle will be content, the mountain will be pleased, and I too will be pleased.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र कर्मरूपे (object of ‘क्रियते’)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; स्वाम्यर्थे (genitive)

• मतम्: opinion/plan
• मतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (मन्-धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘opinion’

• गोपाः: O cowherds
• गोपाः: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे (vocative sense though form = nominative)

• संप्रीत्या: with goodwill/affection
• संप्रीत्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्+प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; भावे करणम् (instrumental of manner): ‘with affection’

• क्रियते: is carried out
• क्रियते: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive): ‘is done’

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Result)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (consequential adverb): ‘then/thereupon’

• कृता: produced/established
• कृता: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (प्रीतिः)

• भवेत्: would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• प्रीतिः: pleasure/favour
• प्रीतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• गवाम्: of the cows
• गवाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• अद्रेः: of the mountain
• अद्रेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘also/likewise’

• मम: of me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa (as narrated by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To elicit loving, voluntary participation in Govardhana worship, ensuring harmony among cows, the mountain, and the divine will that protects Vraja.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Bhakti-infused yajña (saṃprīti) as the true stabilizer of prosperity and protection

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Rites bear fruit when performed with heartfelt love; devotion harmonizes nature (cows, mountain) and the Lord’s pleasure.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Prioritize inner disposition: perform worship, work, and service with glad sincerity rather than mere obligation.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s ‘pleasure’ is relational—He responds to loving surrender while remaining the supreme ruler; devotion is a real mode of communion, not illusion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Cows (Gavah)
• Govardhana (Adri/Mountain)

FAQs

What is the significance of Govardhana (the mountain) in the Vishnu Purana?

Here Govardhana is treated as worthy of reverent service; pleasing the mountain and caring for the cattle becomes a dharmic act that Krishna affirms as spiritually fruitful when done with devotion.

How does Sage Parāśara’s narration present Krishna’s instruction to the gopas?

In the Parāśara–Maitreya dialogue, Krishna’s counsel is framed as a deliberate “matam” (considered judgment): devotion-filled action brings harmony—prosperity for the cows, favor of the land (mountain), and the Lord’s own satisfaction.

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

Krishna identifies himself as the ultimate recipient of sincere devotion, showing that the Supreme Reality is pleased not merely by ritual form, but by loving intention aligned with dharma.