Shloka 15

इन्द्रक्रोधः, संवर्तक-वर्षणम्, गोवर्धनधारण-लीला

Devanagari script

इमम् अद्रिम् अहं धैर्याद् उत्पाट्योरुशिलाघनम् धारयिष्यामि गोष्ठस्य पृथुच्छत्रम् इवोपरि

Transliteration

imam adrim ahaṃ dhairyād utpāṭyoruśilāghanam dhārayiṣyāmi goṣṭhasya pṛthucchatram ivopari

Translation

“With steadfast resolve, I shall uproot this mountain—massive with great rocks—and hold it aloft above the cowherds’ settlement, like a broad umbrella spread overhead.”

Word by Word

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• अद्रिम्: mountain
• अद्रिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative ‘I’

• धैर्यात्: out of firmness/courage
• धैर्यात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धैर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन — Ablative ‘from/through firmness’ (cause/source)

• उत्पाट्य: having uprooted
• उत्पाट्य: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial to verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + पट्/पाट् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); धातु: उत्पाटयति (causative of √पट्/√पाट् ‘to tear up’); ‘having uprooted’

• उरु-शिला-घनम्: a huge solid mass of rock
• उरु-शिला-घनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उरु (प्रातिपदिक) + शिला (प्रातिपदिक) + घन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — कर्मधारय-समास; ‘उरुशिलाघनः’ = ‘a massive rock(-like) solid’ qualifying अद्रिम्

• धारयिष्यामि: I will hold
• धारयिष्यामि: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन — ‘I will hold/support’

• गोष्ठस्य: of the cowherd community
• गोष्ठस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन — Genitive ‘of the settlement’

• पृथु-छत्रम्: a broad umbrella
• पृथु-छत्रम्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथु (प्रातिपदिक) + छत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — कर्मधारय-समास; ‘broad umbrella’ (object of comparison)

• इव: like; as
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक-निपात (comparative particle)

• उपरि: above; overhead
• उपरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

Speaker

Sri Krishna (as narrated by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He performs Govardhana-dhāraṇa to physically shelter Vraja and demonstrate that the Supreme protects those devoted to Him.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Safety of the pastoral community and the principle of taking refuge in Bhagavān over fear of celestial powers

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhagavān becomes the devotee’s ‘umbrella’—a tangible refuge—when surrender is threatened by overwhelming forces.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Practice taking shelter (śaraṇāgati) through prayer and steadiness during ‘storms’—respond with faith and communal support rather than panic.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s saulabhya (easy accessibility) is shown: the transcendent Supreme acts intimately within the world for His dependents.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Gopa (cowherds of Vraja)
• Govardhana (the mountain)

FAQs

What is the significance of Govardhana-lifting in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents Krishna’s supreme guardianship: the Lord effortlessly subordinates natural forces to protect devotees, revealing divine sovereignty expressed as compassionate refuge.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Krishna’s resolve in this episode?

Through the narrative voice, Krishna’s statement is framed as calm certainty—an act done “with firmness” (dhairyāt), emphasizing deliberate divine will rather than mere heroic strength.

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

Krishna functions as the Supreme Reality who sustains beings: the mountain becomes a canopy by His will, illustrating Vishnu’s role as protector and upholder of cosmic order for those devoted to Him.