Shloka 22

गोवर्धनोत्तरविस्मयः, रासलीलाप्रसङ्गः, तथा सर्वव्याप्तिवेदान्तोपदेशः

Devanagari script

चिन्तयन्ती जगत्सूतिं परब्रह्मस्वरूपिणम् निरुच्छ्वासतया मुक्तिं गतान्या गोपकन्यका

Transliteration

cintayantī jagatsūtiṃ parabrahmasvarūpiṇam nirucchvāsatayā muktiṃ gatānyā gopakanyakā

Translation

Meditating with single-pointed mind on the Begetter of the universe, whose very nature is the Supreme Brahman, a certain cowherd maiden—her breath stilled in samadhi—attained liberation.

Word by Word

• चिन्तयन्ती: thinking/meditating
• चिन्तयन्ती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले (लट्-अर्थे) शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त-कर्तरि (present active participle)

• जगत्सूतिम्: the begetter/producer of the world
• जगत्सूतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + सूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (जगतः सूतिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• परब्रह्मस्वरूपिणम्: whose nature is the Supreme Brahman
• परब्रह्मस्वरूपिणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परब्रह्म + स्वरूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (परब्रह्मणः स्वरूपः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (जगत्सूतिम्)

• निरुच्छ्वासतया: with breathlessness; without breathing
• निरुच्छ्वासतया: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause/करण-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरुच्छ्वासता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-अर्थे (instrumental/causal)

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गता: having attained
• गता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः (भूतकर्मणि/भूतकाले); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘गोपकन्यका’ इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषणम्

• अन्या: another (one)
• अन्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘गोपकन्यका’ इत्यस्य समानाधिकरणम्

• गोपकन्यका: a cowherd girl
• गोपकन्यका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप + कन्यका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (गोपस्य कन्यका); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He descends to delight the Vraja-bhaktas through līlā and to grant liberation to those absorbed in Him as Para-brahman.

Leela: Moksha-dana

Dharma Restored: Establishes bhakti as a direct means to mokṣa through single-pointed remembrance of Bhagavān.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Single-pointed contemplation of Kṛṣṇa as jagat-sūti and Para-brahman culminates in mokṣa.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Practice focused nāma-smaraṇa/dhyāna with steady attention, letting devotion mature into inner stillness.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān is simultaneously the transcendent Para-brahman and the jagat-kāraṇa, approachable through loving remembrance.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Krishna

FAQs

What is the significance of the gopī attaining liberation in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It presents bhakti as a direct means to moksha: a gopī, by unwavering contemplation of Krishna as the Supreme Brahman, reaches liberation without requiring separate ritual or philosophical qualification.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the concept of Para Brahman here?

Parāśara identifies the object of devotion—Krishna—as parabrahma-svarūpin, indicating that the Supreme Absolute is not merely impersonal, but realized here as the personal Lord who is also the cosmic source.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu/Krishna being called jagat-sūti in this context?

Calling him “jagat-sūti” frames Krishna/Vishnu as sovereign origin and ground of the cosmos; liberation arises from union in consciousness with that Supreme Reality, aligning devotion with cosmological supremacy.