Upanishads · Gopāla-tāpanī Pūrva 28
॥
Devanāgarī
गोपवेशो मे पुरस्तादाविर्बभूव
ततः प्रणतो मयाऽनुकूलेन हृदा
मह्यमष्टादशार्णं स्वरूपं सृष्टये दत्त्वान्तर्हितः
Transliteration (IAST)
gopaveśo me purastādāvirbabhūva
tataḥ praṇato mayā’nukūlena hṛdā
mahyamaṣṭādaśārṇaṁ svarūpaṁ sṛṣṭaye dattvāntarhitaḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
गोपवेशःgopaveśaḥin cowherd dress; clothed as a herdsman
मे पुरस्तात्me purastātbefore me; in front of me
आविर्बभूवāvirbabhūvaHe appeared; He became visible
ततः प्रणतःtataḥ praṇataḥthen, having bowed; thereupon, having made obeisance
मया अनुकूलेन हृदाmayā anukūlena hṛdāby me with a favourable heart; with a well-disposed heart
मह्यम्mahyamto me; for me
अष्टादशार्णम्aṣṭādaśārṇamthe eighteen-syllabled; the mantra of eighteen syllables
स्वरूपम्svarūpamHis own form; His own shape
सृष्टये दत्त्वाsṛṣṭaye dattvāhaving given for creation; having handed it over for the making
अन्तर्हितःantarhitaḥHe vanished; He disappeared
Translation
In cowherd dress He appeared before me; and when I had bowed to Him with a well-disposed heart, He gave me the eighteen-syllabled mantra — His own form — for the work of creation, and vanished.
Version
3c3f5b443a46 · published Jul 28, 2026, 2:22:17 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The appearance is described in a single line and without any pomp: "in cowherd dress He appeared before me". He whom the creator had awaited for half his span came neither crowned nor enthroned.
Then the gesture: Brahmā bows, and it is said with what — anukūlena hṛdā, "with a well-disposed heart". The word ānukūlya, "favourable disposition, assent", will later become key in the definition of bhakti: to serve out of disposition, not out of obligation.
What was handed over is named in two ways. First, aṣṭādaśārṇa — "eighteen-syllabled": the same five-worded mantra, in whose syllables eighteen are counted. Second — and this is the main thing — svarūpam, "His own form". The mantra does not describe Him; it is He.
And it was given "for creation", sṛṣṭaye: the creator receives not an instrument of power but the name of the Lord, and with it he creates. Hence the later understanding that creation is accomplished by the power of the name.
The last word is antarhitaḥ, "He vanished". The appearance ended, and the mantra remained; and the whole further account will be of what came of it.