Shloka 41

कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

अत्रावतीर्णयोः कृष्ण गोपा एव हि बान्धवाः गोप्यश् च सीदतः कस्मात् त्वं बन्धून् समुपेक्षसे

Transliteration

atrāvatīrṇayoḥ kṛṣṇa gopā eva hi bāndhavāḥ gopyaś ca sīdataḥ kasmāt tvaṃ bandhūn samupekṣase

Translation

ହେ କୃଷ୍ଣ, ଏଠାରେ ଅବତୀର୍ଣ୍ଣ ହୋଇ ଗୋପମାନେ ହିଁ ତୁମର ସତ୍ୟ ବାନ୍ଧବ, ଗୋପୀମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ। ସେମାନେ ଦୁଃଖରେ ଡୁବୁଥିବାବେଳେ, ତୁମେ ନିଜ ବାନ୍ଧବମାନଙ୍କୁ କାହିଁକି ଉପେକ୍ଷା କରୁଛ?

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• अवतीर्णयोः: of the two descended (here)
• अवतीर्णयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-तॄ (धातु) → अवतीर्ण (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th), द्विवचन; ‘of/among the two who have descended’

• कृष्ण: O Krishna
• कृष्ण: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• गोपाः: the cowherds
• गोपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• हि: indeed
• हि: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• बान्धवाः: kinsmen/relatives
• बान्धवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• गोप्यः: the cowherd women
• गोप्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• सीदतः: (they) are distressed/sink down (the two groups)
• सीदतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद्/सीद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन

• कस्मात्: why/from what reason
• कस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक (‘from what cause/why’)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• बन्धून्: relatives
• बन्धून्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• सम्-उपेक्षसे: you neglect/overlook
• सम्-उपेक्षसे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उप-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speaker

The cowherds/cowherd community of Vraja (Gopas), addressing Sri Krishna (as narrated by Sage Parashara to Maitreya).

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He remains among the cowherds to reciprocate with their intimate devotion and protect them when threatened.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of devotees (bhakta-rakṣaṇa) and honoring relational dharma toward His Vraja community

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In Vraja-bhakti, the Lord accepts the cowherds as His true ‘kin,’ making devotees’ distress a direct claim upon divine compassion.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Practice śaraṇāgati: bring grief and longing honestly to God in prayer, trusting reciprocal care.

Vishishtadvaita: Reciprocity (śeṣa-śeṣi-bhāva): the Lord freely binds Himself by love to His devotees, affirming personal relationship within non-dual dependence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna

FAQs

What is the significance of calling Krishna the ‘kinsman’ of the Gopas and Gopis in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames devotion as a sacred relationship: Krishna’s avatara is not distant sovereignty alone, but intimate guardianship—so the Vraja devotees claim Him as family and appeal to His duty of protection.

How does Sage Parashara explain the devotees’ bold questioning of Krishna’s actions?

In the Krishna narrative, Parashara presents Vraja-bhakti as direct and relational: the devotees speak from lived dependence, and their lament becomes a devotional argument that the Lord must respond to those who surrender to Him.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (as Krishna) in this context?

Krishna is implied as the Supreme Lord who voluntarily accepts human-like bonds; His supremacy is shown not only in power but in bhakta-vatsalya—His commitment to rescue and sustain those who take refuge in Him.