Shloka 4
Śakaṭa-bhañjana, Naming by Garga, Dāmodara and Yamala-arjuna, and the Move to Vṛndāvana
गोपाः केनेति केनेदं शकटं परिवर्तितम् तत्रैव बालकाः प्रोचुर् बालेनानेन पातितम्
gopāḥ keneti kenedaṃ śakaṭaṃ parivartitam tatraiva bālakāḥ procur bālenānena pātitam
The cowherds cried, “By whom—by whom has this cart been overturned?” Right there, the children replied, “It was knocked down by this very boy.”
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: How the villagers interpreted the miracle
Teaching: Devotional
Quality: didactic-through-narrative
Avatara: Krishna
Purpose: He enacts wondrous childhood deeds that reveal divine agency indirectly, increasing devotion while protecting Vraja.
Leela: Dharma-upadesa
Dharma Restored: Recognition of divine protection operating through the child and strengthening faith in the community
Concept: Faith often arises through humble witnesses; the Lord’s acts invite inquiry that ripens into devotion.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Attend to small ‘grace-moments’ and let sincere questioning mature into steadier practice rather than cynicism.
Vishishtadvaita: Knowledge of the Lord is mediated through experience and testimony within the devotee-community, not mere abstraction.
Vishnu Form: Krishna
Bhakti Type: Vatsalya
FAQs
It marks an early revelation of Bala-Krishna’s divine power: what appears as a child’s movement becomes the instrument by which a demonic threat is neutralized and the village is awakened to awe.
Parāśara narrates the villagers’ astonishment and the children’s testimony to Maitreya, using ordinary speech to highlight how the Supreme (Vishnu) acts through seemingly simple, human scenes.
Vishnu’s supremacy is shown as immanent and protective—He is not distant from the world but present as Krishna, safeguarding devotees while effortlessly subduing adharma.