Shloka 29

Govardhana-pūjā: Kṛṣṇa Redirects Indra-yajña to Worship of Govardhana, Cows, and Brāhmaṇas

Devanagari script

स्वलङ्कृता भुक्तवन्त: स्वनुलिप्ता: सुवासस: । प्रदक्षिणां च कुरुत गोविप्रानलपर्वतान् ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

sv-alaṅkṛtā bhuktavantaḥ sv-anuliptāḥ su-vāsasaḥ pradakṣiṇāṁ ca kuruta go-viprānala-parvatān

Translation

అందరూ తృప్తిగా భోజనం చేసిన తరువాత, శోభాయమానంగా అలంకరించుకొని, మంచి వస్త్రాలు ధరించి, చందనలేపనం చేసుకొని—గోవులు, బ్రాహ్మణులు, యజ్ఞాగ్నులు మరియు గోవర్ధనగిరిని ప్రదక్షిణ చేయండి।

Synonyms

• सु-अलङ्कृताः: well-adorned
• सु-अलङ्कृताः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + अलङ्कृत (कृदन्त; अलङ्कृ धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव-पूर्वपद ‘सु-’ (well) + क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• भुक्तवन्तः: having eaten
• भुक्तवन्तः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्तवत्-प्रत्यय (past active participle): ‘having eaten’

• सु-अनुलिप्ताः: well-anointed
• सु-अनुलिप्ताः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + अनुलिप्त (कृदन्त; लिप् धातु, क्त; अनु-उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘well-anointed/smeared’

• सु-वाससः: well-clothed
• सु-वाससः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘good garments (wearers)’ i.e., well-clothed

• प्रदक्षिणाम्: circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणाम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• कुरुत: do (you all)
• कुरुत: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/लोट्), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person/मध्यम), बहुवचन

• गो-विप्र-अनल-पर्वतान्: the cows, brāhmaṇas, fire, and the mountain(s)
• गो-विप्र-अनल-पर्वतान्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अनल (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (enumerative): ‘cows, brāhmaṇas, fire, and mountains’

Purport

Lord Kṛṣṇa wanted all the human beings and even the animals to eat nice bhagavat-prasādam, sanctified foods offered to the Lord. To enthuse His relatives with a festive mood, He requested them to dress beautifully with fine clothes and ornaments and to refresh their bodies with luxurious sandalwood paste. The essential activity, however, was the circumambulation of the holy brāhmaṇas, cows, sacrificial fires and especially Govardhana Hill.

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vraja-vāsīs
• Govardhana

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Govardhana Puja and circumambulation?

In Canto 10, Chapter 24, Kṛṣṇa instructs the Vraja people—after honoring the feast—to perform pradakṣiṇā (circumambulation) of the cows, the brāhmaṇas, the sacred fire, and Govardhana Hill, establishing Govardhana worship as central to their devotion.

Why did Krishna tell the Vrajavasis to circumambulate cows, brahmanas, fire, and Govardhana?

Kṛṣṇa is guiding them to honor the primary supports of dharma and village devotion—go (cows), vipra (brāhmaṇas), anala (sacred fire), and the parvata (Govardhana)—as part of the Govardhana-pūjā that replaces the planned Indra-yajña.

Practical application of Govardhana worship teachings in modern life?

This verse highlights gratitude and reverence: live simply, honor sacred food, respect spiritually learned persons, protect and serve cows (or practice compassionate stewardship), keep sacred practices, and cultivate devotion through humble acts like pradakṣiṇā and remembrance of Kṛṣṇa.