Shloka 25

इन्द्रक्रोधः, संवर्तक-वर्षणम्, गोवर्धनधारण-लीला

Devanagari script

मुमोच कृष्णो ऽपि तदा गोवर्धनमहाचलम् स्वस्थाने विस्मितमुखैर् दृष्टस् तैस् तु व्रजौकसैः

Transliteration

mumoca kṛṣṇo 'pi tadā govardhanamahācalam svasthāne vismitamukhair dṛṣṭas tais tu vrajaukasaiḥ

Translation

Then Krishna, too, released the mighty mountain Govardhana and set it back in its proper place, while the people of Vraja, their faces filled with astonishment, looked on.

Word by Word

• mumoca: released
• mumoca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muc (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदी — ‘released/let go’

• kṛṣṇaḥ: Krishna
• kṛṣṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपि (also/even)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (at that time)

• govardhanamahācalam: the great mountain Govardhana
• govardhanamahācalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: govardhana (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + acala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — ‘the great mountain Govardhana’

• svasthāne: in its proper place
• svasthāne: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — ‘in its own place’

• vismitamukhaiḥ: by (people) with astonished faces
• vismitamukhaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vismita (प्रातिपदिक; क्त from vi√smi) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — ‘by those with astonished faces’

• dṛṣṭaḥ: was seen
• dṛṣṭaḥ: Kriya (Passive predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘was seen’ (agreeing with kṛṣṇaḥ)

• taiḥ: by them
• taiḥ: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — ‘by them’

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/अनुक्रम (but/indeed)

• vrajaukasaiḥ: by the residents of Vraja
• vrajaukasaiḥ: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vraja (प्रातिपदिक) + okas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — ‘by the dwellers of Vraja’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To complete the act of protection by restoring Govardhana to its place, inspiring awe and deepening Vraja’s devotion.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Confidence in divine refuge and the natural order (mountain restored; community stabilized)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s effortless omnipotence appears as gentle, intimate action among devotees, evoking wonder that matures into devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Let experiences of ‘grace’ cultivate gratitude and steadiness rather than mere amazement.

Vishishtadvaita: Paratva and saulabhya together: the transcendent Lord displays supreme power while remaining present as the beloved of Vraja.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Govardhana
• Vraja (Vrajavāsīs)

FAQs

What is the significance of Govardhana being set back in its place in the Vishnu Purana?

It completes the līlā by showing Krishna’s effortless mastery over nature and his orderly restoration of the world after protecting Vraja—divine power expressed as protective grace.

How does Sage Parāśara frame Krishna’s action in this episode?

As a narrated līlā within the Parāśara–Maitreya dialogue, the act is presented not merely as a feat but as revelation of the Lord’s sovereignty and his commitment to safeguard devotees.

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

Krishna is understood as Vishnu’s supreme presence in a personal form—his miraculous yet compassionate action reinforces Vaishnava teaching that the Supreme Reality actively protects those who take refuge.