Shloka 5

केशीवधः तथा ‘केशव’ नामप्रसिद्धिः

Devanagari script

अलं त्रासेन गोपालाः केशिनः किं भयातुरैः भवद्भिर् गोपजातीयैर् वीरवीर्यं विलोप्यते

Transliteration

alaṃ trāsena gopālāḥ keśinaḥ kiṃ bhayāturaiḥ bhavadbhir gopajātīyair vīravīryaṃ vilopyate

Translation

Enough of this panic, O cowherds! What is there to fear from Keśin? When you, born of the cowherd clan, yield to terror, the valor of heroes is squandered away.

Word by Word

• अलम्: enough!
• अलम्: Pratishedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध/पर्याप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय — particle meaning ‘enough!’

• त्रासेन: with fear/by fear
• त्रासेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• गोपालाः: O cowherds
• गोपालाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), बहुवचन — O cowherds!

• केशिनः: of Keśin
• केशिनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — Genitive singular (of Keśin)

• किम्: what?/why?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय — interrogative particle (what?/why?)

• भयातुरैः: by those distressed with fear
• भयातुरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + आतुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; समासः तत्पुरुषः (भयेन आतुरः)

• भवद्भिः: by you
• भवद्भिः: Kartrikarana (Agent-instrument/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural (by you)

• गोपजातीयैः: of cowherd stock
• गोपजातीयैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक) + जातीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; समासः तत्पुरुषः (गोपस्य जातीयः = of cowherd kind)

• वीरवीर्यम्: heroic valor
• वीरवीर्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक) + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular; कर्मधारयः (वीरं वीर्यम् = heroic valor)

• विलोप्यते: is being lost/destroyed
• विलोप्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लुप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (Passive/कर्मणि) — is being destroyed/vanishes

Speaker

Sri Krishna (addressing the cowherds of Vraja)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To embolden his people and then remove the demonic menace of Keśin, preserving Vraja’s safety.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Courage and steadfastness among the righteous; refusal to yield to fear that empowers adharma.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Fear needlessly embraced erodes inner strength; dharma calls for steadiness under threat.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: When anxiety rises, name it, steady the breath, and act from duty and trust rather than panic.

Vishishtadvaita: Devotion is not passivity; the Lord nurtures the devotee’s dharmic qualities (like courage) within embodied life.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Keshi
• Gopalas (cowherds of Vraja)

FAQs

What is the significance of Keśin in the Vishnu Purana?

Keśin represents a demonic threat sent against Vraja; this verse frames him as ultimately powerless before Krishna’s protection, emphasizing divine sovereignty over chaos.

How does the narrative encourage courage among Krishna’s devotees here?

By rebuking panic and reminding the cowherds of their innate valor, the verse teaches that fear collapses strength, while trust in Krishna restores steadiness and resolve.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (as Krishna) in this context?

Krishna speaks as the protector of the world-order in intimate pastoral form, showing that the Supreme Reality safeguards devotees directly and renders hostile forces ineffective.