Shloka 1

इन्द्र-प्रायश्चित्तं, कृष्णाभिषेकः, गोविन्द-नामप्राप्तिः

Devanagari script

धृते गोवर्धने शैले परित्राते च गोकुले रोचयाम् आस कृष्णस्य दर्शनं पाकशासनः

Transliteration

dhṛte govardhane śaile paritrāte ca gokule rocayām āsa kṛṣṇasya darśanaṃ pākaśāsanaḥ

Translation

When Govardhana mountain had been held aloft and Gokula thereby preserved, Pākaśāsana (Indra), his pride subdued, resolved to seek the sight of Krishna, the Supreme Protector.

Word by Word

• dhṛte: when (it was) held up
• dhṛte: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhṛ (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), सप्तमी-एकवचन — ‘when (it was) held’

• govardhane: on Govardhana
• govardhane: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: govardhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — ‘on Govardhana’

• śaile: on the mountain
• śaile: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — ‘on the mountain’

• paritrāte: when (it was) protected
• paritrāte: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari√trā (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), सप्तमी-एकवचन — ‘when (it was) protected’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (and)

• gokule: in Gokula
• gokule: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gokula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — ‘in Gokula’

• rocayām: wished/desired
• rocayām: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ruc (धातु; रोचयति causative/णिच्)
• Form: णिजन्त (causative), परिप्रयोग-सहायक ‘āsa’ सहित, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘desired/approved (to see)’

• āsa: did/was (auxiliary)
• āsa: Kriya (Auxiliary/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect) सहायक-क्रिया, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• kṛṣṇasya: of Krishna
• kṛṣṇasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — ‘of Krishna’

• darśanam: a sight/meeting
• darśanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — ‘seeing/vision’

• pākaśāsanaḥ: Indra
• pākaśāsanaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāka (प्रातिपदिक) + śāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — इन्द्रस्य नाम (epithet: ‘chastiser of Pāka’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To receive Indra’s humbled approach, confirming Krishna’s supremacy and correcting deva-pride for the welfare of the worlds.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Proper hierarchy: devas as servants of the Supreme; devotion as the true refuge

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True authority culminates in humility before the Supreme; even Indra must seek Hari’s darśana when ego is corrected.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Convert personal ‘defeats’ into spiritual progress by seeking darśana—turning toward the Divine rather than defending pride.

Vishishtadvaita: The Supreme is accessible through darśana and grace, yet remains the inner ruler of all ranks, including the deva-king.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Govardhana
• Gokula
• Indra (Pākaśāsana)

FAQs

What is the significance of Indra seeking Krishna’s darśana in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks the recognition that Krishna’s sovereignty is higher than Indra’s; the deva-lord submits to the Supreme Protector after Gokula’s deliverance.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the Govardhana episode philosophically?

As a divine correction of misplaced pride and a demonstration that Bhagavān safeguards devotees and re-establishes cosmic order through līlā rather than mere force.

What is the theological importance of Krishna here for Vaishnava thought?

Krishna is shown as the Supreme Reality (Vishnu) whom even the gods approach—affirming divine supremacy, protection of bhaktas, and rightful hierarchy in the cosmos.