Shloka 35

Śakaṭa-bhañjana, Naming by Garga, Dāmodara and Yamala-arjuna, and the Move to Vṛndāvana

Devanagari script

कालेन गच्छता तौ तु सप्तवर्षौ महाव्रजे सर्वस्य जगतः पालौ वत्सपालौ बभूवतुः

Transliteration

kālena gacchatā tau tu saptavarṣau mahāvraje sarvasya jagataḥ pālau vatsapālau babhūvatuḥ

Translation

As time moved onward, dwelling in great Vraja, those two spent seven years as guardians of the whole world, though outwardly they appeared as simple keepers of the calves.

Word by Word

• कालेन: with time / in the course of time
• कालेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• गच्छता: as (it) went
• गच्छता: Karana (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गच्छत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक-प्रयोगे, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘कालेन’ इत्यनेन सह—‘as time went on’

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: contrast/emphasis)

• सप्तवर्षौ: seven years old (two)
• सप्तवर्षौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त-वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; समासः—द्विगु (सप्त वर्षाणि वयः यस्य/ययोः)

• महाव्रजे: in great Vraja
• महाव्रजे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाव्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महान् व्रजः)

• सर्वस्य: of all
• सर्वस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (जगतः)

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पालौ: protectors/guardians (two)
• पालौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• वत्सपालौ: calf-herders (two)
• वत्सपालौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्सपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वत्सानां पालौ)

• बभूवतुः: they became
• बभूवतुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma remain in Vraja to protect all beings while appearing as humble calf-herds, ensuring the world’s welfare through hidden lordship.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Universal protection (jagat-pālana) expressed through the dharma of safeguarding life and livelihood in Vraja.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord who sustains the cosmos can choose to appear as an ordinary servant of life, teaching that greatness and protection can be gentle and near.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate humility in service: protect and nurture what is entrusted to you (family, community, nature) as participation in divine guardianship.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān’s sovereignty (aiśvarya) and accessibility (saulabhya) coexist—central to Viśiṣṭādvaita devotion to the personal Supreme.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Vraja
• the world (jagat)

FAQs

What is the significance of time (kāla) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It frames the divine narrative within cosmic order—events unfold under kāla, yet the world remains protected through the Lord’s providential governance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine protection while describing ordinary cowherd life?

He highlights a key Purāṇic theme: the Supreme safeguards creation while appearing in humble roles, making protection (pālana) part of līlā rather than mere spectacle.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu’s sovereignty in this context?

Even when the divine is seen as a simple calf-herder, the verse asserts supreme lordship through the function of world-protection—Vishnu’s rule operates quietly yet universally.