Indra's Homage and the Naming of Govinda

Verse 1 (vishnu.5.12.1)

श्रीपराशर उवाच । धृते गोवर्द्धने शैले परित्राते च गोकुले । रोचयामास कृष्णस्य दर्शनं पाकशासनः

śrīparāśara uvāca dhṛte govarddhane śaile paritrāte ca gokule rocayāmāsa kṛṣṇasya darśanaṁ pākaśāsanaḥ

Parashara said: When Mount Govardhana had been held aloft and Gokula thereby protected, Pakashasana resolved to go and see Krishna.

Verse 2 (vishnu.5.12.2)

सोऽधिरुह्य महानागमैरावतममित्रजित् । गोवर्द्धनगिरौ कृष्णं ददर्श त्रिदश्श्वोरः

so'dhiruhya mahānāgamairāvatamamitrajit govarddhanagirau kṛṣṇaṁ dadarśa tridaśśvoraḥ

Mounting his great elephant Airavata, Indra, conqueror of foes, lord of the gods, beheld Krishna upon Mount Govardhana.

Verse 3 (vishnu.5.12.3)

चारयंतं महावीर्यं गास्तु गोपवपुर्धरम् । कृत्स्नस्य जगतो गोपं वृतं गोपकुमारकैः

cārayaṁtaṁ mahāvīryaṁ gāstu gopavapurdharam kṛtsnasya jagato gopaṁ vṛtaṁ gopakumārakaiḥ

— tending the cows, mighty in valor, wearing the form of a cowherd, the true guardian of the entire world, surrounded by cowherd boys.

Verse 4 (vishnu.5.12.4)

गरुडं च ददर्शोच्चैरंतर्द्धानगतं द्विज । कृतच्छायं हरेर्मूर्ध्नि पक्षाभ्यां पक्षिपुंगवम्

garuḍaṁ ca dadarśoccairaṁtarddhānagataṁ dvija kṛtacchāyaṁ harermūrdhni pakṣābhyāṁ pakṣipuṁgavam

And, O brahmin, he saw Garuda too, invisible high above, that foremost of birds, shading Hari's head with his two wings.

Verse 5 (vishnu.5.12.5)

अवरुह्य स नागेंद्रा देकांते मधुसूदनम् । शक्रस्सस्मितमाहेदं प्रीतिविस्तारितेक्षणः

avaruhya sa nāgeṁdrā dekāṁte madhusūdanam śakrassasmitamāhedaṁ prītivistāritekṣaṇaḥ

Descending from his elephant, Shakra, his eyes wide with affection, came privately before Madhusudana and, smiling, spoke thus.

Verse 6 (vishnu.5.12.6)

इंद्र उवाच । कृष्णकृष्ण शृणुष्वेदं यदर्थ महामागतः । त्वत्समीपं महाबाहो नैतच्चिंत्यं त्वयाऽन्यथा

iṁdra uvāca kṛṣṇakṛṣṇa śṛṇuṣvedaṁ yadartha mahāmāgataḥ tvatsamīpaṁ mahābāho naitacciṁtyaṁ tvayā'nyathā

Indra said: "Krishna, Krishna, hear the reason for which I have come to you, O mighty-armed one; do not think of this any other way."

Verse 7 (vishnu.5.12.7)

भारावतारणार्थाय पृथिव्याः पृथिवीतले । अवतीर्णोऽखिलाधार त्वमेव परमेश्वर

bhārāvatāraṇārthāya pṛthivyāḥ pṛthivītale avatīrṇo'khilādhāra tvameva parameśvara

"'O support of all, O Supreme Lord, you alone have descended upon this earth to relieve it of its burden.'"

Verse 8 (vishnu.5.12.8)

मखभंगविरोधेन मया गोकुलनाशकाः । समादिष्टा महामेघास्तैश्चेदं कदनं कृतम्

makhabhaṁgavirodhena mayā gokulanāśakāḥ samādiṣṭā mahāmeghāstaiścedaṁ kadanaṁ kṛtam

"'Angered at the wreck of my sacrifice, I sent the great clouds to destroy Gokula, and they wrought this havoc.'"

Verse 9 (vishnu.5.12.9)

त्रातास्ताश्च त्वया गावस्समुत्पाट्य महीधरम् । तेनाऽहं तोषितो वीरकर्मणाऽत्यद्भुतेन ते

trātāstāśca tvayā gāvassamutpāṭya mahīdharam tenā'haṁ toṣito vīrakarmaṇā'tyadbhutena te

"'And you saved those cows by uprooting the mountain; by this most wondrous, heroic act of yours I am well satisfied.'"

Verse 10 (vishnu.5.12.10)

साधितं कृष्ण देवानामहं मन्ये प्रयोजनम् । त्वयायमद्रि प्रवरः करेणैकेन यद्धृतः

sādhitaṁ kṛṣṇa devānāmahaṁ manye prayojanam tvayāyamadri pravaraḥ kareṇaikena yaddhṛtaḥ

"'O Krishna, I count the purpose of the gods fulfilled, in that you have held up this greatest of mountains with a single hand.'"

Verse 11 (vishnu.5.12.11)

गोभिश्च चोदितः कृष्ण त्वत्सकाशमिहागतः । त्वया त्राताभिरत्यर्थं युष्मत्सत्कारकारणात्

gobhiśca coditaḥ kṛṣṇa tvatsakāśamihāgataḥ tvayā trātābhiratyarthaṁ yuṣmatsatkārakāraṇāt

"'O Krishna, urged on by the cows you saved, and to honor you for it, I have come here into your presence.'"

Verse 12 (vishnu.5.12.12)

स त्वां कृष्णाभिषेक्ष्यामि गवां वाक्यप्रचोदितः । उपेंद्र त्वे गवामिंद्रो गोविंदस्त्वं भविष्यसि

sa tvāṁ kṛṣṇābhiṣekṣyāmi gavāṁ vākyapracoditaḥ upeṁdra tve gavāmiṁdro goviṁdastvaṁ bhaviṣyasi

"'So, moved by the word of the cows, I shall anoint you: you shall be Upendra, you shall be the Indra of the cows, and you shall become Govinda.'"

Verse 13 (vishnu.5.12.13)

श्रीपराशर उवाच । अथोपवाह्यादादाय घंटामैरावताद्गजात् । अभिषेकं तया चक्रे पवित्रजलपूर्णया

śrīparāśara uvāca athopavāhyādādāya ghaṁṭāmairāvatādgajāt abhiṣekaṁ tayā cakre pavitrajalapūrṇayā

Parashara said: Then, taking the bell from his mount, the elephant Airavata, and filling it with sacred water, he performed the anointing with it.

Verse 14 (vishnu.5.12.14)

क्रियमाणेऽभिषेके तु गावः कृष्णस्य तत्क्षणात् । प्रस्नवोद्भूतदुग्धाद्रा रं! सद्यश्चक्रुर्वसुन्धराम्

kriyamāṇe'bhiṣeke tu gāvaḥ kṛṣṇasya tatkṣaṇāt prasnavodbhūtadugdhādrā raṁ! sadyaścakrurvasundharām

While Krishna's anointing was taking place, the cows, at that very moment, drenched the earth at once with their flowing milk.

Verse 15 (vishnu.5.12.15)

अभिषिच्य गवां वाक्यादुपेंद्रं वै जनार्दनम् । प्रीत्या सप्रश्रयं वाक्यं पुनराह शचीपतिः

abhiṣicya gavāṁ vākyādupeṁdraṁ vai janārdanam prītyā sapraśrayaṁ vākyaṁ punarāha śacīpatiḥ

Having anointed Janardana as Upendra at the word of the cows, the lord of Shachi spoke again, with affection and humility.

Verse 16 (vishnu.5.12.16)

गवामेतत्कृतं वाक्यं तथान्यदपि मे शृणु । यद्ब्रवीमि महाभाग भारावतरणेच्छया

gavāmetatkṛtaṁ vākyaṁ tathānyadapi me śṛṇu yadbravīmi mahābhāga bhārāvataraṇecchayā

"'This was done at the word of the cows; now, illustrious one, hear also this other thing I say, wishing to see the earth's burden relieved.'"

Verse 17 (vishnu.5.12.17)

ममंशः पुरुषव्याघ्र पृथिव्यां पृथिवीधर । अवतीर्णोऽर्जुनोनाम संरक्ष्यो भवता सदा

mamaṁśaḥ puruṣavyāghra pṛthivyāṁ pṛthivīdhara avatīrṇo'rjunonāma saṁrakṣyo bhavatā sadā

"'O tiger among men, O bearer of the earth, a portion of myself, named Arjuna, has descended upon the earth; let him always be protected by you.'"

Verse 18 (vishnu.5.12.18)

भारावतरणे साह्यं स ते वीरः करिष्यति । संरक्षणीयो भवता यथात्मा मधुसूदन

bhārāvataraṇe sāhyaṁ sa te vīraḥ kariṣyati saṁrakṣaṇīyo bhavatā yathātmā madhusūdana

"'That hero will aid you in relieving the burden of the earth; he must be guarded by you, Madhusudana, as your very own self.'"

Verse 19 (vishnu.5.12.19)

श्रीभगवानुवाच । जानामि भारते वंशो! जातं पार्थं तवांशतः । तमहं पालयिष्यामि यावत्स्थास्यामि भूतले

śrībhagavānuvāca jānāmi bhārate vaṁśo! jātaṁ pārthaṁ tavāṁśataḥ tamahaṁ pālayiṣyāmi yāvatsthāsyāmi bhūtale

The Lord said: "'I know that Partha has been born in the line of Bharata from a portion of you; for as long as I remain on this earth, I shall protect him.'"

Verse 20 (vishnu.5.12.20)

यावन्महीतले शक्र स्थास्याम्यहमरिंदम । न तावदर्जुनं कश्चिद्देवेंद्र युधि जेष्यति

yāvanmahītale śakra sthāsyāmyahamariṁdama na tāvadarjunaṁ kaściddeveṁdra yudhi jeṣyati

"'O Shakra, subduer of foes, for as long as I remain on this earth, no one, lord of the gods, shall conquer Arjuna in battle.'"

Verse 21 (vishnu.5.12.21)

कंसो नाम महाबाहुर्दैत्योऽरिष्टस्तथाऽसुरः । केशी कुवलयापीडो नरकाद्यास्तथा परे

kaṁso nāma mahābāhurdaityo'riṣṭastathā'suraḥ keśī kuvalayāpīḍo narakādyāstathā pare

"'Kamsa, the mighty-armed; the Daitya Arishta likewise; the Asura Keshi; Kuvalayapida; Naraka, and others besides —'"

Verse 22 (vishnu.5.12.22)

हतेषु तेषु देवेंद्र भविष्यति महाहवः । तत्र विद्धि सहस्राक्ष भारावतरणं कृतम्

hateṣu teṣu deveṁdra bhaviṣyati mahāhavaḥ tatra viddhi sahasrākṣa bhārāvataraṇaṁ kṛtam

"'— once these are slain, lord of the gods, a great war will follow; know then, thousand-eyed one, that the earth's burden will have been fully lifted.'"

Verse 23 (vishnu.5.12.23)

स त्वं गच्छ न संतापं पुत्रार्थे कर्त्तुमर्हसि । नार्जुनस्य रिपुः कश्चिन्ममाग्रे प्रभविष्यति

sa tvaṁ gaccha na saṁtāpaṁ putrārthe karttumarhasi nārjunasya ripuḥ kaścinmamāgre prabhaviṣyati

"'So go now; grief over your son does not become you; before me, no enemy of Arjuna's shall ever prevail.'"

Verse 24 (vishnu.5.12.24)

अर्जुनार्थे त्वहं सर्वान्युधिष्ठिरपुरोगमान् । निवृत्ते भारते युद्धे कुंत्यै दास्याम्यविक्षताम्

arjunārthe tvahaṁ sarvānyudhiṣṭhirapurogamān nivṛtte bhārate yuddhe kuṁtyai dāsyāmyavikṣatām

"'For Arjuna's sake, when the Bharata war is over, I shall restore Yudhishthira and all his brothers to Kunti unharmed.'"

Verse 25 (vishnu.5.12.25)

श्रीपराशर उवाच । इत्युक्तः संपरिष्वज्य देवाराजो जनार्दनम् । आरुह्यैरावतं नागं पुनरेव दिवं ययौ

śrīparāśara uvāca ityuktaḥ saṁpariṣvajya devārājo janārdanam āruhyairāvataṁ nāgaṁ punareva divaṁ yayau

Parashara said: Thus addressed, the king of the gods embraced Janardana and, mounting the elephant Airavata, returned once more to heaven.

Verse 26 (vishnu.5.12.26)

कृष्णो हि सहितो गोभिर्गोपालैश्च पुनर्व्रजम् । आजगामाऽथ गोपीनां दृष्टिपूतेन वर्त्मना

kṛṣṇo hi sahito gobhirgopālaiśca punarvrajam ājagāmā'tha gopīnāṁ dṛṣṭipūtena vartmanā

And Krishna, together with the cows and the cowherds, then returned once more to Vraja, along a path made sacred by the gaze of the gopis.