Shloka 36

उपसंहारः, वैष्णवपुराण-प्रशंसा, फलश्रुति, परम्परा-प्रवहः (पाठ-श्रवण-फलम्)

Devanagari script

कच्चिद् अस्मत्कुले जातः कालिन्दीसलिलाप्लुतः अर्चयिष्यति गोविन्दं मथुरायाम् उपोषितः

Transliteration

kaccid asmatkule jātaḥ kālindīsalilāplutaḥ arcayiṣyati govindaṃ mathurāyām upoṣitaḥ

Translation

Has one been born in our lineage who—bathed in the waters of the Kāliṇdī (Yamunā) and fasting in Mathurā—will worship Govinda?

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: whether, I wonder if
• कच्चित्: Nipata (interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक निपात (interrogative particle: whether?)

• अस्मत्कुले: in our family
• अस्मत्कुले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अस्माकं कुले)

• जातः: born
• जातः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• कालिन्दीसलिलाप्लुतः: bathed in the waters of the Kalindī (Yamunā)
• कालिन्दीसलिलाप्लुतः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कालिन्दी (प्रातिपदिक) + सलिल (प्रातिपदिक) + आप्लुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कालिन्द्याः सलिले आप्लुतः = bathed in the waters of the Kalindi)

• अर्चयिष्यति: will worship
• अर्चयिष्यति: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गोविन्दम्: Govinda
• गोविन्दम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मथुरायाम्: in Mathurā
• मथुरायाम्: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मथुरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपोषितः: having fasted
• उपोषितः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप+√वस्/उप√वस् (धातु) → उपोषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अर्थः—उपवासं कृतवान् (having fasted)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Merit of bathing in Yamunā, fasting at Mathurā, and worship of Govinda as the true sanctification of birth

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He is invoked as Govinda to receive worship at Mathurā, granting access to the Supreme Reality through devotion.

Leela: Moksha-dana

Dharma Restored: Establishing bhakti as the highest consecration and a direct approach to the Lord.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Birth is truly consecrated when it culminates in worship of Govinda, approached as the sovereign Reality behind all.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Transform ritual purity (snāna, upavāsa) into God-centered practice by explicitly dedicating it to Govinda and cultivating steady remembrance.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān as the supreme Reality who is personally worshippable (saviśeṣa Brahman), accessible through devotion rather than abstraction.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: shanta

Vyuha Form: Vasudeva

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Kālindī (Yamunā)
• Mathurā

FAQs

What is the significance of bathing in the Kāliṇdī (Yamunā) and fasting in Mathurā in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Yamunā-bathing and fasting in Mathurā as a vrata that purifies the devotee and culminates in worship of Govinda, making sacred place and disciplined practice supports for bhakti.

How does Sage Parāśara frame devotion to Govinda in this context?

Parāśara frames it as the true honor of birth in a lineage: one’s heritage is fulfilled not by status but by turning to Govinda through disciplined worship.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (Govinda) here?

Govinda is treated as the supreme Lord worthy of arcana; the verse implies that approaching him through devotion and vow is a direct means to the highest good, aligning with Vaishnava theism.