Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 33

Uddhava’s Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa and the Theology of the Lord’s Disappearance

Devanagari script

वर्षतीन्द्रे व्रज: कोपाद्भग्नमानेऽतिविह्वल: । गोत्रलीलातपत्रेण त्रातो भद्रानुगृह्णता ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

varṣatīndre vrajaḥ kopād bhagnamāne ’tivihvalaḥ gotra-līlātapatreṇa trāto bhadrānugṛhṇatā

Translation

Indra, irrité parce que son honneur fut blessé, déversa une pluie incessante sur Vraja, accablant ses habitants. Mais le Seigneur Śrī Kṛṣṇa, plein de compassion, les sauva grâce à Son parapluie de līlā : la colline Govardhana.

Synonyms

• वर्षति: (when) it rains
• वर्षति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• इन्द्रे: when Indra (was acting)
• इन्द्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन

• व्रजः: Vraja (the cowherd settlement)
• व्रजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• कोपात्: from anger
• कोपात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान/Ablative), एकवचन

• भग्नमाने: as it was being shattered
• भग्नमाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भञ्ज् (धातु) → भग्न (कृदन्त) + मान (शानच्)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present passive participle/शानच्), सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘while being broken/ruined’

• अतिविह्वलः: greatly distressed
• अतिविह्वलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिविह्वल (प्रातिपदिक) [अति + विह्वल]
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषण of व्रजः

• गोत्रलीलातपत्रेण: with the (Govardhana) umbrella of his sport
• गोत्रलीलातपत्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोत्र-लीला-आतपत्र (प्रातिपदिक) [गोत्र + लीला + आतपत्र]
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; ‘with the umbrella of the Govardhana-play’

• त्रातः: was protected
• त्रातः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रा (धातु) → त्रात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate ‘was protected’ (of व्रजः)

• भद्रानुगृह्णता: by the benefactor who shows grace to the good
• भद्रानुगृह्णता: Karana (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भद्र-अनुगृह्णत् (कृदन्त) [भद्र + अनु-ग्रह्]
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle/शतृ), पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; ‘by (him) who was favoring the good’

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Sri Krishna
• Vrajavasis

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna protecting His devotees?

This verse recalls that when Vraja was overwhelmed by Indra’s destructive rains, Krishna protected everyone through the Govardhana-lifting pastime, showing His mercy and guardianship over His devotees.

Why did Indra send heavy rains on Vraja in Krishna’s pastimes?

Indra, angered and prideful, retaliated against the Vrajavasis; the Bhagavatam highlights how Krishna’s Govardhana pastime checked Indra’s arrogance and safeguarded the surrendered residents of Vraja.

How can Govardhana Leela be applied in modern life?

When faced with overwhelming “storms,” this verse encourages taking shelter of Krishna with faith, remembering that sincere devotion invites divine protection and steadiness amid adversity.