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Krishna Upanishad

(Chapter 49)

Chapter Quiz

Verse 1

śrīmahāviṣṇu saccidānandalakṣaṇaṃ rāmacandraṃ dṛṣṭvā sarvāṅgasundaraṃ munayo vanavāsino vismitā babhūvuḥ । taṃ hocurno'vadyamavatārānvai gaṇyante āliṅgāmo bhavantamiti । bhavāntare kṛṣṇāvatāre yūyaṃ gopikā bhūtvā māmāliṅgatha anye ye'vatārāste hi gopā naḥ strīśca no kuru। anyonyavigrahaṃ dhāryaṃ tavāṅgasparśanādiha। śaśvatsparśayitāsmākaṃ gṛhṇīmo'vatārānvayam॥

AI Translation

Having seen Lord Ramachandra, Lord Mahavishnu, whose characteristic is existence-consciousness-bliss and who was beautiful in all his limbs, the forest-dwelling sages became astonished. They said to him, "The incarnations counted for us are insufficient; we wish to embrace you." Lord Vishnu replied, "In another birth, in the Krishna incarnation, you all, becoming Gopis, will embrace me." The sages then requested, "As for other incarnations, they are indeed (for) male cowherds, and do not make us women (for those)! May a mutual form be assumed here, from the touch of your body. You will constantly touch us; we accept (these) incarnations."

Verse 2

rudrādīnāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā provāca bhagavānsvayam। aṅgasaṅgaṃ kariṣyāmi bhavadvākyaṃ karomyaham॥

AI Translation

Having heard the words of Rudra and others, the Lord himself said: 'I will engage in bodily union; I will fulfill your request.'

Verse 3

moditāste surāḥ sarve kṛtakṛtyādhunā vayam। yo nandaḥ paramānando yaśodā muktigehinī ॥

AI Translation

All those gods are delighted, and now we are fulfilled. Nanda is supreme bliss, and Yashoda is the mistress of liberation.

Verse 4

māyā sā trividhā proktā sattvarājasatāmasī । proktā ca sāttvikī rudre bhakte brahmaṇi rājasī ।।

AI Translation

That Māyā is declared to be threefold, consisting of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. And the Sattvic [aspect of Māyā] is declared to be in Rudra, the devotee; the Rajasic [aspect] is in Brahma.

Verse 5

tāmasī daityapakṣeṣu māyā tredhā hyudāhṛtā। ajeyā vaiṣṇavī māyā japyena ca sutā purā ॥

AI Translation

The dark, delusive *māyā* is indeed declared to be threefold among the demon factions. The unconquerable *Vaiṣṇavī māyā* was formerly invoked through chanting.

Verse 6

devakī brahmaputrā sā yā vedairupagīyate । nigamo vasudevo yo vedārtha: kṛṣṇarāmayoḥ ।।

AI Translation

Devaki is the daughter of Brahman, she who is glorified by the Vedas. Vasudeva is the scripture (Nigama), who is the Vedic meaning for Krishna and Rama.

Verse 7

stuvate satataṃ yastu so'vatīrṇo mahītale। vane vṛndāvane krīḍangopagopīsuraiḥ saha ॥

AI Translation

He who constantly praises (the Lord), that (Lord) has descended upon the earth, playing in the Vrindavana forest with cowherd boys, cowherd girls, and gods.

Verse 8

gopyo gāva ṛcastasya yaṣṭikā kamalāsanaḥ । vaṃśastu bhagavān rudraḥ śṛṅgamindraḥ sagosuraḥ ॥

AI Translation

The cowherd women are the cows; the hymns are His. The staff is Brahmā (the lotus-seated one). The flute, however, is Lord Rudra. The horn is Indra, accompanied by the cows and gods.

Verse 9

gokulaṃ vanavaikuṇṭhaṃ tāpasāstatra te drumāḥ । lobhakrodhādayo daityāḥ kalikālastiraskṛtaḥ ।।

AI Translation

Gokula is a forest Vaikuntha. The ascetics there are the trees. Greed, anger, and others are the demons. The age of Kali is disregarded.

Verse 10

goparūpo hariḥ sākṣānmāyāvigrahadhāraṇaḥ। durbodhaṃ kuhakaṃ tasya māyayā mohitaṃ jagat॥

AI Translation

Hari, directly in the form of a cowherd, assumes a body through his divine illusion (māyā). His trickery is incomprehensible; the world is deluded by his māyā.

Verse 11

durjayā sā suraiḥ sarvairdhṛṣṭirūpo bhavedvijaḥ । rudro yena kṛto vaṃśastasya māyā jagatkatham॥

AI Translation

She is unconquerable by all the gods. A Brahmin becomes of the form of Dhṛṣṭi. How can the world be the illusion (māyā) of him by whom Rudra's lineage was created?

Verse 12

balaṃ jñānaṃ surāṇāṃ vai teṣāṃ jñānaṃ hṛtaṃ kṣaṇāt। śeṣanāgobhavedrāmaḥ kṛṣṇo brahamaiva śāśvatam ॥

AI Translation

Strength and knowledge belong to the gods; indeed, their knowledge was taken away in an instant. Sheshanaga became Rama; Krishna is verily the eternal Brahman.

Verse 13

aṣṭāvaṣṭasahastre dve śatādhikyaḥ striyastathā। ṛcopaniṣadastā vai brahmarūpā ṛcaḥ striyaḥ ॥

AI Translation

Thus, the eight, eight thousand, and two hundred additional women are indeed those Ṛcs (hymns) of the Upanishads; these Ṛcs are the wives in the form of Brahman.

Verse 14

dveṣaścāṇūramallo'yaṃ matsaro muṣṭiko jayaḥ। darpaḥ kuvalayāpīḍo garvo rakṣaḥ khago bakaḥ ॥

AI Translation

Hatred is this wrestler Chāṇūra; envy is Muṣṭika and Jaya. Arrogance is Kuvalayāpīḍa, and conceit is the demon bird Bakāsura.

Verse 15

dayā sā rohiṇī mātā satyabhāmā dhareti vai। aghāsuro mahāvyādhiḥ kaliḥ kaṃsaḥ sa bhūpatiḥ ॥

AI Translation

Compassion is that mother Rohini, and Satyabhama is indeed the Earth. Aghasura is a great disease, and Kali (the demon of the age) is that King Kamsa.

Verse 16

śamo mitraḥ sudāmā ca satyākrūroddhavo damaḥ । yaḥ śaṅkhaḥ sa svayaṃ viṣṇurlakṣmīrūpo vyavasthitaḥ ॥

AI Translation

Tranquility (Śama), Mitra, Sudāmā, and Truth (Satya), Akrūra, Uddhava, (and) Self-control (Dama) (are aspects or devotees). That which is the conch (Pāñcajanya), that very Vishnu himself, is established in the form of Lakṣmī.

Verse 17

dugdhasindhau samutpanno meghaghoṣastu saṃsmṛtaḥ। dugdhodadhiḥ kṛtastena bhagnabhāṇḍo dadhigrahe॥

AI Translation

He who is known as Meghaghoṣa, born from the ocean of milk, is remembered. By him, who broke pots in the process of taking curds, an ocean of milk was created.

Verse 18

krīḍate bālako bhūtvā pūrvavatsumahodadhau। saṃhārārthaṃ ca śatrūṇāṃ rakṣaṇāya ca saṃsthitaḥ ॥

AI Translation

Having become a child, he plays in the great ocean as before. He is present for the destruction of enemies and for protection.

Verse 19

kṛpārthaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ goptāraṃ dharmamātmajam। yatsraṣṭumīśvareṇāsīttaccakraṃ brahmarūpadhṛk ॥

AI Translation

The self-born Dharma, the protector of all beings for their compassion, which Ishvara intended to create—that very discus (Chakra) assumed the form of Brahma.

Verse 20

jayantīsaṃbhavo vāyuścamaro dharmasaṃjñitaḥ । yasyāsau jvalanābhāsaḥ khaḍgarūpo maheśvaraḥ ।।

AI Translation

The wind (or Vayu) that originates from Jayanti, and the camara (yak-tail whisk) are designated as Dharma. That sword, which glows like fire, is Maheśvara.