Shloka 42

Viṣṇv-ekapūjya-nirṇaya; Gaṅgā-Viṣṇupadī-māhātmya; Kali-yuga doṣa; Puṣkara-dharma of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa

Devanagari script

सदा गोदोहने काले स्मरेद्गोपालवल्लभम् / अनन्तपुण्यार्जितजन्मकर्मणां सुपक्वकाले च खगेन्द्रसत्तम

Transliteration

sadā godohane kāle smaredgopālavallabham / anantapuṇyārjitajanmakarmaṇāṃ supakvakāle ca khagendrasattama

Translation

ગાય દોહન સમયે સદા ગોપાલોના પ્રિય પ્રભુનું સ્મરણ કર. હે ખગેન્દ્રશ્રેષ્ઠ! અનંત પુણ્યથી અર્જિત જન્મ-કર્મ ધરાવનારને આ સ્મરણ સુપક્વ કાળે ફળ આપે છે।

Word by Word

• सदा: always
• सदा: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• गो-दोहने: in the milking of cows
• गो-दोहने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + दोहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) ‘गवां दोहने’

• काले: at the time
• काले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• स्मरेत्: should remember
• स्मरेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• गोपाल-वल्लभम्: beloved of the cowherds (Kṛṣṇa)
• गोपाल-वल्लभम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपाल (प्रातिपदिक) + वल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) ‘गोपालानां वल्लभम्’

• अनन्त-पुण्य-अर्जित-जन्म-कर्मणाम्: of those whose births and deeds are earned by endless merit
• अनन्त-पुण्य-अर्जित-जन्म-कर्मणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्जित (कृदन्त, क्त) + जन्म (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक-समाहारार्थे, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समासः (विशेषणसमासः) ‘अनन्तैः पुण्यैः अर्जितानि जन्मकर्माणि येषाम्’

• सुपक्व-काले: at the proper time
• सुपक्व-काले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुपक्व (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘सुपक्वः कालः’ (well-ripened/proper time)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• खगेन्द्र-सत्तम: O best of the lordly birds (Garuda)
• खगेन्द्र-सत्तम: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘खगानाम् इन्द्रः’ + सत्तम (श्रेष्ठ)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Constant remembrance (smaraṇa) matures and yields fruit when inner readiness (supa-kva-kāla) arrives, supported by accumulated merit.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra and puṇya prepare the mind; bhakti ripens into grace-aligned fruition over time.

Application: Adopt consistent nāma-smaraṇa during repetitive work; trust gradual maturation rather than demanding immediate results.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: agrarian/domestic

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: recurring emphasis on nāma-smaraṇa as purifier and protector (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Gopala-vallabha (Vishnu/Krishna)
• Garuda (Khagendra)

FAQs

What is the importance of remembering Gopala-vallabha at the time of cow-milking in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats godohana-kāla as an auspicious daily moment for smṛti (remembrance) of Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa, linking simple household routine with spiritual merit and inner purification.

How does this verse relate to karma and the soul’s journey described in the Garuda Purana?

It emphasizes that spiritual practices like remembrance produce results according to karmic maturity—merit accumulated over many lives fructifies when the “time is ripe,” supporting the broader Preta-kāṇḍa theme of consequences after death.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Choose a consistent daily time (traditionally cow-milking time) to remember or recite a Viṣṇu name/mantra, making devotion habitual and aligning daily life with dharma and long-term karmic wellbeing.