Shloka 13

Vasudeva Meets Nanda; Pūtanā’s Fall; Viṣṇu-Rakṣā (Protective Hymn) in Gokula

Devanagari script

गोपुरीषम् उपादाय नन्दगोपो ऽपि मस्तके कृष्णस्य प्रददौ रक्षां कुर्वंश् चैतद् उदीरयन्

Transliteration

gopurīṣam upādāya nandagopo 'pi mastake kṛṣṇasya pradadau rakṣāṃ kurvaṃś caitad udīrayan

Translation

Taking cow-dung as a purifying safeguard, Nanda the cowherd placed it upon Kṛṣṇa’s head for protection, uttering the customary words of warding.

Word by Word

• गोपुरीषम्: cow-dung
• गोपुरीषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरीष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गोः पुरीषम्/cow-dung); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपादाय: having taken
• उपादाय: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप-आ-दा (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• नन्दगोपः: Nanda (the cowherd)
• नन्दगोपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (नन्दः गोपः/Nanda the cowherd); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (also)

• मस्तके: on the head
• मस्तके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• कृष्णस्य: of Krishna
• कृष्णस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• प्रददौ: gave, placed
• प्रददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• रक्षाम्: protection (protective rite)
• रक्षाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• कुर्वन्: doing, performing
• कुर्वन्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Concomitant action)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नन्दगोपः प्रति, सहक्रिया

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एतत्: this (formula)
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; उदीरयन् इत्यस्य कर्म

• उदीरयन्: uttering, reciting
• उदीरयन्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Concomitant action)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-ईर् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नन्दगोपः प्रति

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: narrative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To continue the bāla-līlā in which Nanda and Yaśodā express protective devotion through humble rites, while the Lord remains the ultimate refuge.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Gr̥hya/folk protective dharma (rakṣā) in the cowherd community, oriented—knowingly or not—toward the Supreme.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Humble external forms can conceal profound devotion: Nanda’s rustic rakṣā is an offering to the Supreme who graciously accepts intimate service.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Do not despise simple devotional practices; perform them with sincerity (bhāva), seeing God present in ordinary life.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhakti with concrete upacāra (service) aligns with Viśiṣṭādvaita: the Lord is personally accessible and receives real offerings while remaining transcendent.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Nanda (Nandagopa)

FAQs

What is the significance of using cow-dung for protection in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse it functions as an auspicious, purifying rural protective medium—showing how ordinary Vraja customs become offerings of care around Krishna’s divine presence.

How does Sage Parāśara frame Krishna’s childhood in this context?

Parāśara narrates that Nanda performs a simple protective rite while reciting words of safeguarding, highlighting the contrast between Krishna’s apparent vulnerability as a child and his identity as the Supreme.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu (as Krishna) in this context?

The verse underscores Vishnu’s supremacy expressed through lila: the Lord accepts human-like protection from devotees, turning affectionate service into a vehicle of bhakti and cosmic intimacy.