Shloka 16

गोवर्धनोत्तरविस्मयः, रासलीलाप्रसङ्गः, तथा सर्वव्याप्तिवेदान्तोपदेशः

Devanagari script

विना रामेण मधुरम् अतीव वनिताप्रियम् जगौ कलपदं शौरिर् नानातन्त्रीकृतव्रतम्

Transliteration

vinā rāmeṇa madhuram atīva vanitāpriyam jagau kalapadaṃ śaurir nānātantrīkṛtavratam

Translation

Nang wala si Rama, umawit si Shauri ng himig na matamis—lalo nang mahal ng mga babae—na may marikit na sukat ng kumpas at indayog, at hinubog ng disiplina sa maraming kuwerdas at paraan ng tugtugin.

Word by Word

• vinā: without
• vinā: Sambandha (Exclusion/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: वियोगार्थक-अव्यय (without)

• rāmeṇa: Rama
• rāmeṇa: Sambandha (Excluded associate/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘रामेण विना’ (without Rama)

• madhuram: sweet
• madhuram: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; (qualifying ‘kalapadam’)

• atīva: exceedingly
• atīva: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Degree/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atīva (अव्यय)
• Form: तीव्रतार्थक-अव्यय (intensifier: exceedingly)

• vanitā-priyam: beloved of women
• vanitā-priyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vanitā (प्रातिपदिक) + priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘वनितानां प्रियम्’ (dear to women)

• jagau: he sang
• jagau: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gai (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kalapadam: a melodious song/strain
• kalapadam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalapada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• śauriḥ: Śauri (Krishna)
• śauriḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śauri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृष्णस्य उपनाम

• nānā-tantrī-kṛta-vratam: accompanied/arranged with many strings
• nānā-tantrī-kṛta-vratam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of ‘kalapadam’/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + tantrī (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (kṛ धातु-क्त) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (बहुपद); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘नानातन्त्रीभिः कृतं व्रतं/विधानं यस्य’—many-stringed (instrument)-arranged/regulated (i.e., accompanied by varied strings)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

• Śauri (Krishna)
• Rāma (Balarāma)

FAQs

What is the significance of music and refined arts in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Śauri’s song as disciplined (vrata) and ordered, suggesting that culture and aesthetic harmony can mirror dharma and the well-governed order upheld by Vishnu’s avatāra.

How does Sage Parāśara explain disciplined practice (vrata) in a non-ritual context?

Here, vrata is applied to mastery of musical modes/strings, showing that restraint, training, and rule-bound excellence are also forms of dharmic discipline within worldly life.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

By depicting Śauri (Kṛṣṇa) as both captivating and perfectly skilled, the narrative hints at Vishnu’s avatāra as supreme sovereignty expressed not only in cosmic acts but also in ordered excellence within human experience.