Upanishads · Gopāla-tāpanī Pūrva 43
॥
Devanāgarī
कंसवंश विनाशाय केशि चाणूर घातिने ।
वृषभध्वज वन्द्याय पार्थ सारथये नमः
Transliteration (IAST)
kaṁsavaṁśa vināśāya keśi cāṇūra ghātine |
vṛṣabhadhvaja vandyāya pārtha sārathaye namaḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
कंसवंश विनाशायkaṁsavaṁśa vināśāyato the destroyer of Kaṁsa's line; who wiped out the clan of Kaṁsa
केशि चाणूर घातिनेkeśi cāṇūra ghātinethe slayer of Keśī and Cāṇūra; the killer of Keśī and Cāṇūra
वृषभध्वज वन्द्यायvṛṣabhadhvaja vandyāyaworshipped by the Bull-bannered; before whom Śiva bows
पार्थ सारथये नमःpārtha sārathaye namaḥto the charioteer of Pārtha, obeisance; homage to the driver of Arjuna
Translation
Obeisance to the destroyer of Kaṁsa's line, the slayer of Keśī and Cāṇūra, to Him before whom the Bull-bannered bows — to the charioteer of Arjuna.
Version
76629ff5e18c · published Jul 28, 2026, 2:22:17 PM UTC
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After the beauties come the deeds, and they are chosen from two different periods of His life.
Keśī is the horse-demon sent by Kaṁsa into Vṛndāvana; Cāṇūra is the wrestler set against Him in the arena at Mathurā. Both names recall that the herdsman standing beneath the wish-fulfilling tree is the same who crushed the power of Kaṁsa.
"The Bull-bannered", vṛṣabha-dhvaja, is Śiva, whose standard bears the image of a bull. It is said that he bows to Him; and this is no humiliation of Śiva but the usual indication of seniority in śruti: the gods are great, but not first.
The last name is pārtha-sārathi, "the charioteer of Pārtha". He to whom Śiva bows holds the reins of Arjuna's chariot. The double movement of this verse — from formidable exploits to service with a friend — is its content.
Note that the name "charioteer of Arjuna" sounds here as praise, not as the description of an office. In the tradition it became one of the most honoured: the Lord's greatness is seen not in who serves Him but in whom He serves.