Shloka 14

इन्द्रक्रोधः, संवर्तक-वर्षणम्, गोवर्धनधारण-लीला

Devanagari script

एतत् कृतं महेन्द्रेण महभङ्गविरोधिना तद् एतद् अखिलं गोष्ठं त्रातव्यम् अधुना मया

Transliteration

etat kṛtaṃ mahendreṇa mahabhaṅgavirodhinā tad etad akhilaṃ goṣṭhaṃ trātavyam adhunā mayā

Translation

“This has been done by Mahendra, who cannot bear the least affront to his pride. Therefore, this entire cowherds’ settlement must now be protected by me.”

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘this (thing)’

• कृतम्: done; caused
• कृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृ-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘done/made’ (predicate)

• महेन्द्रेण: by Mahendra (Indra)
• महेन्द्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — Instrumental/agent in passive

• मह-भङ्ग-विरोधिना: by the one opposing a great affront/disruption
• मह-भङ्ग-विरोधिना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मह (प्रातिपदिक) + भङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + विरोधिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — तत्पुरुष-समास; विरोधिन् = ‘opposing’; ‘महाभङ्गस्य विरोधिना’ (one opposing the great disruption/insult) qualifying महेन्द्रेण

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — demonstrative, resumptive

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — demonstrative, appositional

• अखिलम्: entire; whole
• अखिलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — adjective agreeing with गोष्ठम्

• गोष्ठम्: cowherd community/settlement
• गोष्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• त्रातव्यम्: must be protected
• त्रातव्यम्: Kriya (Predicate necessity/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रा (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (Gerundive/Obligative); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘must be protected’

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — Instrumental ‘by me’ (agent)

Speaker

Sri Krishna (as narrated by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He intervenes to shield Vraja from Indra’s wrath and to humble the deva’s pride, redirecting worship toward the Supreme.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Proper hierarchy of devotion—Bhagavān as the true giver and protector, devas as subordinate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When worldly powers act from ego, the devotee’s refuge is the Lord alone, who assumes responsibility for protection.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In crises driven by others’ ego or injustice, cultivate śaraṇāgati: act rightly, but rest the heart in Bhagavān’s guardianship rather than fear.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān’s personal lordship (śeṣin) and the devotees’ dependence (śeṣatva) are explicit in His vow to protect.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Mahendra)
• Krishna
• Gokula/Vraja (Goṣṭha)
• Cowherds (Gopas)

FAQs

What is the significance of Indra’s pride in this episode of the Vishnu Purana?

The verse frames Indra’s action as pride-driven, setting up the teaching that even the king of devas is subordinate to the Supreme Lord’s order and protection.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine protection in this context?

Through Krishna’s resolve to save the entire goṣṭha, Parāśara presents the Lord as the immediate refuge of beings, acting to restore balance when divine powers act from ego.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (as Krishna) here?

Krishna’s declaration “I must protect” highlights Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty and compassionate guardianship—central to Vaishnava theology and the ethic of taking shelter in the Lord.