Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

तस्माद् गवां ब्राह्मणानामद्रेश्चारभ्यतां मख: । य इन्द्रयागसम्भारास्तैरयं साध्यतां मख: ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

tasmād gavāṁ brāhmaṇānām adreś cārabhyatāṁ makhaḥ ya indra-yāga-sambhārās tair ayaṁ sādhyatāṁ makhaḥ

Translation

ฉะนั้นจงเริ่มพิธีบูชา (ยัญญะ) เพื่อความปีติของโคทั้งหลาย พราหมณ์ และภูเขาโควรรธนะเถิด และด้วยเครื่องบูชาอันเตรียมไว้สำหรับยัญญะแด่อินทรา จงประกอบยัญญะนี้แทน

Synonyms

• tasmāt: therefore, from that (reason)
• tasmāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• gavām: of the cows
• gavām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• brāhmaṇānām: of the brāhmaṇas
• brāhmaṇānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• adreḥ: of the mountain (Govardhana)
• adreḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• ārabhyatām: let (it) be begun
• ārabhyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √rabh (रभ् धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); passive-style injunction ‘let it be begun’

• makhaḥ: sacrifice, rite
• makhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: makha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ye: which, those that
• ye: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of implied ‘are’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (सम्बन्धवाचक), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• indra-yāga-sambhārāḥ: the requisites for Indra-worship
• indra-yāga-sambhārāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indra (प्रातिपदिक) + yāga (प्रातिपदिक) + sambhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); समास: इन्द्र-याग-सम्भाराः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘materials for Indra-sacrifice’)

• taiḥ: by those (requisites)
• taiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ayam: this (sacrifice)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sādhyatām: let (it) be accomplished
• sādhyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sādh (साध् धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); passive-style injunction ‘let it be accomplished’

• makhaḥ: the sacrifice
• makhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: makha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Purport

Lord Kṛṣṇa is famous as go-brāhmaṇa-hita, the well-wishing friend of the cows and the brāhmaṇas. Lord Kṛṣṇa specifically included the local brāhmaṇas in His proposal because He is always devoted to those who are devoted to the godly Vedic culture.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Indra
• Brāhmaṇas
• Gopas
• Cows
• Govardhana (Adri)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Govardhana Puja and worshiping the mountain?

In this verse, Kṛṣṇa instructs the Vraja community to begin a festival-sacrifice for the cows, brāhmaṇas, and Govardhana Hill, redirecting the offerings that were meant for Indra toward this devotional worship.

Why did Krishna tell the Vrajavasis to use Indra-yajna materials for another sacrifice?

Kṛṣṇa redirects the already-collected ingredients to honor cows, brāhmaṇas, and Govardhana, emphasizing dharma rooted in devotion and gratitude to what directly sustains Vraja, while setting the stage to curb Indra’s pride.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Use your resources to serve what is truly nourishing and sacred—supporting spiritual learning (brāhmaṇas/teachers), protecting life and livelihood (cows/innocents), and honoring nature (Govardhana)—rather than acting from social pressure or fear.