Shloka 5

गोवर्धनोत्तरविस्मयः, रासलीलाप्रसङ्गः, तथा सर्वव्याप्तिवेदान्तोपदेशः

Devanagari script

सत्यं सत्यं हरेः पादौ शपामो ऽमितविक्रम यथा त्वद्वीर्यम् आलोक्य न त्वां मन्यामहे नरम्

Transliteration

satyaṃ satyaṃ hareḥ pādau śapāmo 'mitavikrama yathā tvadvīryam ālokya na tvāṃ manyāmahe naram

Translation

Truly—truly—we swear by the feet of Hari, O you of immeasurable prowess: having witnessed your valor, we no longer regard you as a mere man.

Word by Word

• सत्यम्: truly
• सत्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत् नपुंसक-एकवचन-रूपं, क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative)

• सत्यम्: truly (indeed)
• सत्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition), क्रियाविशेषणवत्

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पादौ: (his) two feet
• पादौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), द्विवचन (Dual)

• शपामः: we swear (by)
• शपामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अमितविक्रम: O one of immeasurable prowess
• अमितविक्रम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमित + विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: समास: अमित-विक्रम (कर्मधारय), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• यथा: as/when
• यथा: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (conjunction/adverb: ‘as/when’)

• त्वत्: your
• त्वत्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• वीर्यम्: prowess
• वीर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आलोक्य: having seen
• आलोक्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + √लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable), ‘having seen’

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मन्यामहे: we consider/think
• मन्यामहे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• नरम्: a man
• नरम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Unspecified in the provided excerpt (spoken by onlookers/allies addressing a heroic figure within the dynasty narrative)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Vraja’s dawning recognition of Kṛṣṇa’s divinity

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He reveals his superhuman valor in Vraja so devotees recognize the Lord hidden within a humanlike form.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Right recognition of Bhagavān’s supremacy (īśvaratva) beyond mere human appraisal

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Direct encounter with divine power transforms belief into firm conviction that the Lord is not limited by humanity.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Anchor faith in lived remembrance and ethical living; let repeated experiences of grace deepen certainty rather than mere argument.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān’s ‘human’ embodiment is real, yet his infinite vīrya remains undiminished—unity without negating difference.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Hari)

FAQs

What is the significance of swearing by Hari’s feet in the Vishnu Purana?

It treats Vishnu as the highest sacred authority—an oath by Hari’s feet signals ultimate truthfulness and religious legitimacy.

How does the Vishnu Purana convey divinity through royal or heroic action?

By depicting such overwhelming valor that witnesses conclude the hero is not merely human, the text frames kingship and power as reflections of Vishnu’s higher order.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (Hari) in this verse?

Vishnu is the supreme ground of truth and credibility; invoking Him confirms that extraordinary prowess is understood as connected to the Supreme Reality rather than ordinary human ability.