Shloka 3

इन्द्रक्रोधः, संवर्तक-वर्षणम्, गोवर्धनधारण-लीला

Devanagari script

नन्दगोपः सुदुर्बुद्धिर् गोपैर् अन्यैः सहायवान् कृष्णाश्रयबलाध्मातो महभङ्गम् अचीकरत्

Transliteration

nandagopaḥ sudurbuddhir gopair anyaiḥ sahāyavān kṛṣṇāśrayabalādhmāto mahabhaṅgam acīkarat

Translation

Nanda the cowherd, misguided in judgment, aided by other gopas and swollen with confidence from taking refuge in Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s protection, set about causing a great disruption.

Word by Word

• नन्दगोपः: Nanda the cowherd
• नन्दगोपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दगोप (प्रातिपदिक) = नन्द + गोप
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नन्दस्य गोपः)

• सुदुर्बुद्धिः: very foolish
• सुदुर्बुद्धिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदुर्बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) = सु + दुर्बुद्धि
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अत्यन्तं दुर्बुद्धिः)

• गोपैः: by/with the cowherds
• गोपैः: Sahakari/Karana (सहकारी/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अन्यैः: other
• अन्यैः: Sahakari/Karana (सहकारी/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; गोपैः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सहायवान्: having allies
• सहायवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहायवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive)

• कृष्णाश्रयबलाध्मातः: puffed up with the strength of Krishna’s support
• कृष्णाश्रयबलाध्मातः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण-आश्रय-बल-आध्मात (प्रातिपदिक) = कृष्ण + आश्रय + बल + आध्मात
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (कृष्णाश्रयस्य बलस्य आध्मातः = तेन गर्वितः/उन्नतः)

• महाभङ्गम्: great destruction/ruin
• महाभङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) = महा + भङ्ग
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् भङ्गः)

• अचीकरत्: caused (it) to happen / brought about
• अचीकरत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative/periphrastic perfect sense ‘caused to be done’

Speaker

Sage Parashara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna sustains Vraja and curbs Indra’s pride by protecting the cowherds from the punitive storm that follows their shift of worship to Govardhana.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Proper orientation of yajña and refuge (śaraṇāgati) toward the Supreme rather than fear-driven propitiation of lesser deities.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Reliance on Bhagavān’s protection can embolden devotees, yet must be tempered by humility so that devotion does not become mere worldly bravado.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice śaraṇāgati with accountability—act boldly for dharma while avoiding contempt for others or reckless provocation.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord is personally accessible as protector of his dependents (śeṣa–śeṣi relation), not an abstract absolute.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Nanda (Nandagopa)
• Krishna

FAQs

What is the significance of taking refuge (āśraya) in Krishna in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Krishna as a source of protective strength, showing how reliance on him can embolden devotees—yet it also cautions that devotion should be joined with right discernment.

How does Sage Parashara explain the tension between faith and judgment here?

By calling Nanda “sudurbuddhi,” Parashara highlights that confidence born from Krishna’s shelter can be misapplied, and that providence may still steer such actions toward the larger divine purpose.

What is the theological importance of Krishna in this context?

Krishna is presented as the sustaining refuge whose sovereignty underlies the unfolding of events in Vraja—consistent with Vaishnava theology that the Lord remains the ultimate controller even within intimate human narratives.