Shloka 57

गोवर्धनोत्तरविस्मयः, रासलीलाप्रसङ्गः, तथा सर्वव्याप्तिवेदान्तोपदेशः

Devanagari script

स तथा सह गोपीभी रराम मधुसूदनः यथाब्दकोटिप्रतिमः क्षणस् तेन विनाभवत्

Transliteration

sa tathā saha gopībhī rarāma madhusūdanaḥ yathābdakoṭipratimaḥ kṣaṇas tena vinābhavat

Translation

Thus Madhusūdana sported there in joy together with the gopīs; and without Him, even a single moment became to them like time measured in crores of years.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/रीति-वाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: “thus”)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (सहकारी/Accompaniment marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक उपसर्गसदृश (preposition-like indeclinable), तृतीया-संबन्धी (governs instrumental)

• गोपीभिः: with the gopīs
• गोपीभिः: Sahakarana (सहकरण/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• रराम: sporting/enjoyed
• रराम: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मधुसूदनः: Madhusūdana (slayer of Madhu)
• मधुसूदनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु + सूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मधोः सूदनः = slayer of Madhu)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Upamana-dyotaka (उपमान-द्योतक/Comparator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/उदाहरण-वाचक (comparative particle: “as/like”)

• अब्दकोटिप्रतिमः: like (the span of) a crore of years
• अब्दकोटिप्रतिमः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अब्द + कोटि + प्रतिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समासः (अब्दकोट्या प्रतिमः = comparable to a crore of years)

• क्षणः: a moment
• क्षणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तेन: by that; therefore
• तेन: Hetu/Karana (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• विना: without
• विना: Apadana/Separation marker (अपादान-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वियोगार्थक (without), तृतीया/पञ्चमी-संबन्धी (governs instr./abl. usage)

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To bestow supreme bhakti through his Vraja-līlā and to draw souls to God by the sweetness of divine love.

Leela: Moksha-dana

Dharma Restored: Prema-bhakti as the highest dharma, where God becomes the sole beloved and refuge.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In separation from Bhagavān, time becomes unbearably vast, revealing the soul’s natural dependence on Him.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate steady remembrance (smaraṇa) and reduce distractions so that longing becomes focused devotion rather than restlessness.

Vishishtadvaita: The jīva’s essential śeṣatva (dependence) upon the Lord is shown experientially: without Him even a moment is intolerable.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna (Madhusudana)

FAQs

What is the significance of time feeling like “crores of years” in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It expresses viraha-bhakti: in separation from Krishna, the devotees’ perception of time expands, showing how the mind absorbed in Bhagavan makes even a moment feel like an age.

How does Sage Parāśara explain devotion through the gopīs in this passage?

By contrasting Krishna’s presence (joyful divine play) with His absence (intolerable longing), Parāśara highlights exclusive, all-consuming devotion where Bhagavan becomes the sole measure of happiness and time.

What is the theological importance of calling Krishna “Madhusūdana” here?

The epithet links Krishna directly to Vishnu’s supreme identity—He is not merely a pastoral hero but Bhagavan who subdues evil and governs even time, while graciously engaging devotees through līlā.