Shloka 32
Uddhava’s Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa and the Theology of the Lord’s Disappearance
अयाजयद्गोसवेन गोपराजं द्विजोत्तमै: । वित्तस्य चोरुभारस्य चिकीर्षन् सद्वययं विभु: ॥ ३२ ॥
ayājayad go-savena gopa-rājaṁ dvijottamaiḥ vittasya coru-bhārasya cikīrṣan sad-vyayaṁ vibhuḥ
Đức Tối Thượng Śrī Kṛṣṇa muốn dùng sức mạnh tài sản sung túc của Mahārāja Nanda để thờ phụng bò, đồng thời dạy cho Indra—vua cõi trời—một bài học. Vì thế Ngài khuyên phụ thân, với sự trợ giúp của các brāhmaṇa uyên bác, hãy cử hành lễ ‘gosava’ để tôn thờ đồng cỏ chăn thả và đàn bò.
Since He is the teacher of everyone, the Lord also taught His father, Nanda Mahārāja. Nanda Mahārāja was a well-to-do landholder and owner of many cows, and, as was the custom, he used to perform yearly worship of Indra, the King of heaven, with great opulence. This worship of demigods by the general populace is also advised in the Vedic literature just so people can accept the superior power of the Lord. The demigods are servants of the Lord deputed to look after the management of various activities of universal affairs. Therefore it is advised in the Vedic scriptures that one should perform yajñas to appease the demigods. But one who is devoted to the Supreme Lord has no need to appease the demigods. Worship of the demigods by common people is an arrangement for acknowledging the supremacy of the Supreme Lord, but it is not necessary. Such appeasement is generally recommended for material gains only. As we have already discussed in the Second Canto of this literature, one who admits the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not need to worship the secondary demigods. Sometimes, being worshiped and adored by less intelligent living beings, the demigods become puffed up with power and forget the supremacy of the Lord. This happened when Lord Kṛṣṇa was present in the universe, and thus the Lord wanted to give a lesson to the King of heaven, Indra. He therefore asked Mahārāja Nanda to stop the sacrifice offered to Indra and to use the money properly by performing a ceremony worshiping the cows and the pasturing ground on the hill of Govardhana. By this act Lord Kṛṣṇa taught human society, as He has instructed in the Bhagavad-gītā also, that one should worship the Supreme Lord by all acts and by all their results. That will bring about the desired success. The vaiśyas are specifically advised to give protection to the cows and their pasturing ground or agricultural land instead of squandering their hard-earned money. That will satisfy the Lord. The perfection of one’s occupational duty, whether in the sphere of duty to oneself, one’s community or one’s nation, is judged by the degree to which the Lord is satisfied.
FAQs
This verse highlights sat-vyaya—spending wealth properly for dharma, such as supporting yajña and honoring saintly brāhmaṇas, rather than hoarding or misusing riches.
He wished to direct abundant wealth toward a noble purpose and to honor the cowherd leadership through a Vedic rite performed by qualified brāhmaṇas, establishing dharmic order in the community.
Use resources for spiritually uplifting purposes—support genuine devotional practices, charity, and service to saints—so wealth becomes a means for purification rather than attachment.