Govinda
Encyclopedia
and are names of Krishna, referring to his youthful occupation as a cowherd. He is regarded as the Supreme Godhead in the Vaishnava tradition and also by much of the pan-Hindu tradition. The ancient text Sri Brahma Samhita
(5.1) describes Him as the source of all that is and the original cause of all causes.
Gopala Krsna of Krishnaism
is often contrasted with Vedism when Krishna asks his followers to desist from Vedic demigod worship such as Indra
worship. Thus the character of Gopala Krishna is often considered to be non-Vedic in one interpretations, while it can also be based on the popular understanding or rather misunderstanding of the Rig Vedic texts.
According to Klaus Klostermaier, Krishna Gopijanavallabha, Krishna the lover of the Gopi
s, is the latest stage in the historical process resulting in contemporary Krishnaism
, being added to the worship of Bala Krishna
(the Divine Child Krishna), and the original cult of Krishna-Vasudeva which may date back to several centuries before the Common Era.
go means "cow"; pāla and vinda form tatpurusha compounds, literally translating to "finder of cows" and "protector of cows", respectively.
, the 1000 names of Vishnu.
According to Adi Sankara's commentary on the Vishnu Sahasranama, translated by Swami Tapasyananda
, Govinda has four meanings:
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, in his commentary on the Bhagavad-Gita, states that Govinda means "master of the senses".
was composed by Adi Sankara, a summary of which is; "If one just worships Govinda, one can easily cross this great ocean of birth and death." This refers to the belief that worshipful adoration of Krishna can lead believers out of the cycle of reincarnation
, or samsara
, and into an eternal blissful life in Vaikuntha, 'beyond this material world' where Govinda resides. Adi Sankara's Bhaja Govindam
prayer expresses the value of inner devotion to Krishna.
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Brahma Samhita
The Brahma Samhita is a Sanskrit Pancaratra text, composed of verses of prayer spoken by Brahma glorifying the supreme The Brahma Samhita is a [[Sanskrit]] [[Pancaratra]] text, composed of verses of prayer spoken by [[Brahma]] glorifying the supreme...
(5.1) describes Him as the source of all that is and the original cause of all causes.
Gopala Krsna of Krishnaism
Krishnaism
Krishnaism is a group of Hindu denominations within Vaishnavism, centered on devotion to Radha Krishna or other forms of Krishna, identified with Vishnu.The central text of Krishnaism is the Bhagavad Gita....
is often contrasted with Vedism when Krishna asks his followers to desist from Vedic demigod worship such as Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
worship. Thus the character of Gopala Krishna is often considered to be non-Vedic in one interpretations, while it can also be based on the popular understanding or rather misunderstanding of the Rig Vedic texts.
According to Klaus Klostermaier, Krishna Gopijanavallabha, Krishna the lover of the Gopi
Gopi
Gopi is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning 'cow-herd girl'. In Hinduism specifically the name gopi is used more commonly to refer to the group of cow herding girls famous within Vaishnava Theology for their unconditional devotion to Krishna as described in the stories of Bhagavata Purana and...
s, is the latest stage in the historical process resulting in contemporary Krishnaism
Krishnaism
Krishnaism is a group of Hindu denominations within Vaishnavism, centered on devotion to Radha Krishna or other forms of Krishna, identified with Vishnu.The central text of Krishnaism is the Bhagavad Gita....
, being added to the worship of Bala Krishna
Bala Krishna
Bala Krishna sometimes translated to "Divine Child Krishna", is historically one of the early forms of worship in Krishnaism and an element of the history of Krishna worship in antiquity...
(the Divine Child Krishna), and the original cult of Krishna-Vasudeva which may date back to several centuries before the Common Era.
Etymology
Both names translate to "cowherd". SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
go means "cow"; pāla and vinda form tatpurusha compounds, literally translating to "finder of cows" and "protector of cows", respectively.
Interpretations
Govinda is a name of Krishna and also appears as the 187th and 539th names in the Vishnu SahasranamaVishnu sahasranama
The Vishnu sahasranama is a list of 1,000 names of Vishnu, one of the main forms of God in Hinduism and the personal supreme God for Vaishnavas . It is also one of the most sacred and commonly chanted stotras in Hinduism...
, the 1000 names of Vishnu.
According to Adi Sankara's commentary on the Vishnu Sahasranama, translated by Swami Tapasyananda
Tapasyananda
Swami Tapasyananda was a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Mission. He was a disciple of Swami Shivananda, one of the eminent disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. The Swami was a vice-president of the Ramakrishna Order from 1985-1991. He was an erudite scholar in Indian and Western philosophy. He has to his...
, Govinda has four meanings:
- The sages call Krishna "Govind" as He pervades all the worlds, giving them power.
- The Shanti Parva of the MahabharataMahabharataThe Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
states that VishnuVishnuVishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
restored the earth that had sunk into the netherwordUnderworldThe Underworld is a region which is thought to be under the surface of the earth in some religions and in mythologies. It could be a place where the souls of the recently departed go, and in some traditions it is identified with Hell or the realm of death...
, or Patala, so all the devas praised Him as Govind (Protector of the Land). - Alternatively, it means "He who is known by VedicVedic SanskritVedic Sanskrit is an old Indo-Aryan language. It is an archaic form of Sanskrit, an early descendant of Proto-Indo-Iranian. It is closely related to Avestan, the oldest preserved Iranian language...
words alone". - In the HarivamsaHarivamsaThe Harivamsha is an important work of Sanskrit literature, containing 16,374 verses, mostly in metre. The text is also known as . This text is believed as a khila to the Mahabharata and is traditionally ascribed to Krishna Dvaipayana Veda Vyasa...
, IndraIndra' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
praised Krishna for having attained loving leadership of the cows which Krishna tended as a cowherd, by saying, "So men too shall praise Him as Govinda."
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, in his commentary on the Bhagavad-Gita, states that Govinda means "master of the senses".
Prayers
A famous prayer called the Bhaja GovindamBhaja Govindam
Bhaja Govindam[Praise/Seek Govinda ] also known as Moha Mudgara is a popular 8th century Hindu devotional composition in Sanskrit attributed to Adi Shankara...
was composed by Adi Sankara, a summary of which is; "If one just worships Govinda, one can easily cross this great ocean of birth and death." This refers to the belief that worshipful adoration of Krishna can lead believers out of the cycle of reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
, or samsara
Samsara
thumb|right|200px|Traditional Tibetan painting or [[Thanka]] showing the [[wheel of life]] and realms of saṃsāraSaṅsāra or Saṃsāra , , literally meaning "continuous flow", is the cycle of birth, life, death, rebirth or reincarnation within Hinduism, Buddhism, Bön, Jainism, Sikhism, and other...
, and into an eternal blissful life in Vaikuntha, 'beyond this material world' where Govinda resides. Adi Sankara's Bhaja Govindam
Bhaja Govindam
Bhaja Govindam[Praise/Seek Govinda ] also known as Moha Mudgara is a popular 8th century Hindu devotional composition in Sanskrit attributed to Adi Shankara...
prayer expresses the value of inner devotion to Krishna.
See also
- Works of JayadevaWorks of JayadevaJayadeva was a well known Sanskrit poet and lyricist who was born in Kenduli, Orissa in the 11th century AD. The works of Jayadeva have had a profound influence on Indian culture. It forms the basis of the east Indian classical dance form, Odissi, and has strongly influenced the Bharatanatyam...
- PhalgunaPhalgunaPhalguna is a month of the Hindu calendar. In India's national civil calendar, Phaalgun is the twelfth month of the year, beginning on 20 February and ending on 21 March .In lunar religious calendars, Phaalgun may begin on either the new moon or the full moon...
month (ruled by Govinda. This Govinda is different from the original Govinda, because he is not the son of Maharaja NandaNanda (mythology)Nanda or Nandagopa, according to the Harivamsha and the Puranas, was the head of the gopas .It is said that Nand Baba owned 9 lakhs of cows . Nandvanshis or Ahirs are descendants of Nand. The night of Krishna's appearance or birth, Vasudeva brought Krishna to Nanda for Krishna's childhood years...
.) - Govinda sportGovinda sportGovinda or Dahi Handi is a sport organized on Krishna Janmashtami to celebrate the birth of Krishna. It is very popular in Mumbai and surrounding area of Thane....
Other sources
: The Cult of Gopāla: History of Religions, Vol. 25, No. 4 (May, 1986), pp. 296-317|publisher=|last=Hein
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