Upanishads · Gopāla-tāpanī Pūrva 22
॥
Devanāgarī
एतद् विष्णोः परमं पदं ये नित्योद्युक्ताः संयजन्ते न कामान् ।
तेषामसौ गोपरूपः प्रयत्नात् प्रकाशयेदात्मपदं तदैव
Transliteration (IAST)
etad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ ye nityodyuktāḥ saṁyajante na kāmān |
teṣāmasau goparūpaḥ prayatnāt prakāśayedātmapadaṁ tadaiva
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एतत् विष्णोः परमम् पदम्etat viṣṇoḥ paramam padamthis supreme abode of Viṣṇu; that highest place of Viṣṇu
ये नित्योद्युक्ताःye nityodyuktāḥthey who are ever diligent; those who labour unceasingly
संयजन्ते न कामान्saṁyajante na kāmānworship it and not their desires; render honour not for the sake of gain
तेषाम् असौ गोपरूपःteṣām asau goparūpaḥto them He, in cowherd form; to them He who has a herdsman's form
प्रयत्नात्prayatnātwith care; solicitously
प्रकाशयेत् आत्मपदम्prakāśayet ātmapadamreveals His own abode; discloses His own place
तदैवtadaivaat once; in that same hour
Translation
They who are ever diligent about this supreme abode of Viṣṇu and worship it and not their own desires — to them He, in cowherd form, at once and with care reveals His own abode.
Version
025a8dff4657 · published Jul 28, 2026, 2:22:17 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
"The supreme abode of Viṣṇu", paramaṁ padam, is the most ancient Vedic expression for His realm: the Ṛgveda says that the wise ever behold it, like an eye stretched across the sky.
The condition is named in two phrases. Nitya-udyukta — "ever diligent": not by fits but constantly. And saṁyajante na kāmān — "they worship, and not their desires": not "they have no desires", but they do not make their desires the object of worship. Service ceases to be a means to something else.
The response to this is described with rare warmth. He reveals His abode prayatnāt — "with care", assiduously, like a host who bustles about his guest himself; and tadaiva — "at once", without postponement.
And it is said in what form He does it: gopa-rūpa, "in cowherd form". The supreme abode is shown not by a lord of the universe in a crown but by a herdsman.
This verse is cited in the Govinda-bhāṣya where it is shown that the Lord Himself reveals Himself to those who serve without self-interest: the vision is His act, not our capture.