Shloka 23

अक्रूर-सत्कारः, मथुरायात्रा-विरहः, यमुनातटे दिव्यदर्शनम्, चतुर्व्यूह-नमस्कारः

Devanagari script

नन्दगोपमुखा गोपा गन्तुम् एते समुद्यताः नोद्यमं कुरुते कश्चिद् गोविन्दविनिवर्तने

Transliteration

nandagopamukhā gopā gantum ete samudyatāḥ nodyamaṃ kurute kaścid govindavinivartane

Translation

Led by Nanda, the cowherds rose, ready to depart; yet none strove to turn Govinda back—for a heart once held by the Lord cannot easily oppose His will.

Word by Word

• नन्दगोपमुखाः: (those) headed by Nanda-gopa
• नन्दगोपमुखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दगोप + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नन्दगोपस्य मुखाः = Nanda-gopa as leaders)

• गोपाः: cowherds
• गोपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• गन्तुम्: to go
• गन्तुम्: Kriya-artha (Purpose/क्रियार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भावः (Infinitive), ‘to go’

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (demonstrative pronoun)

• समुद्यताः: ready, set forth
• समुद्यताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + उद् + यत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘prepared/ready’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• उद्यमम्: effort, attempt
• उद्यमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कुरुते: makes, undertakes
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• कश्चित्: anyone, someone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क + चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-प्रयोग (indefinite pronoun)

• गोविन्दविनिवर्तने: in (the matter of) turning Govinda back
• गोविन्दविनिवर्तने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द + विनिवर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गोविन्दस्य विनिवर्तनम् = turning back Govinda)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Krishna’s departure from Vraja and the reactions of Nanda and the cowherds.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He proceeds toward Mathurā to fulfill the divine plan of removing tyrannical adharma (Kaṃsa) and protecting the world.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of the righteous and re-establishment of just kingship and safety for Vraja and Mathurā.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When the Lord has seized the heart, individual will yields and even collective resolve cannot oppose His intention.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice īśvara-prapatti (surrender): align choices with dharma and accept outcomes as the Lord’s guidance rather than forcing control.

Vishishtadvaita: The jīva’s will is real yet dependent; the Lord as antaryāmin inwardly directs without negating personal devotion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Nanda
• Govinda (Krishna)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Gopas not trying to stop Govinda here in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights surrendered devotion: even when they are outwardly ready to depart, their inner allegiance to Govinda prevents them from counteracting His intention.

How does Sage Parāśara frame this episode in the dialogue with Maitreya?

Parāśara narrates Vraja events to show how the Lord’s līlā moves beings without coercion—devotees respond through love and reverence rather than argument or force.

What is the theological importance of Govinda in this context?

Govinda is presented as the supreme Lord whose will quietly governs the narrative; the community’s inability to ‘turn Him back’ reflects His sovereignty acknowledged through bhakti.