Upanishads · Kṛṣṇa 1.7
॥
Devanāgarī
स्तुवते सततं यस्तु सोऽवतीर्णो महीतले । वने वृन्दावने क्रीडङ्गोपगोपीसुरैः सह
Transliteration (IAST)
stuvate satataṃ yastu so'vatīrṇo mahītale | vane vṛndāvane krīḍaṅgopagopīsuraiḥ saha
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
स्तुवते सततं यः तुstuvate satataṃ yaḥ tuwhom they praise unceasingly
सः अवतीर्णः मही-तलेsaḥ avatīrṇaḥ mahī-talehe descended upon the earth
वने वृन्दावने क्रीडन्vane vṛndāvane krīḍanin the forest of Vṛndāvana, playing
गोप-गोपी-सुरैः सहgopa-gopī-suraiḥ sahawith cowherds, cowherd girls, and gods
Translation
"He whom they praise unceasingly descended upon the earth and plays in the forest of Vṛndāvana with cowherds, cowherd girls, and gods."
Version
3264f57803da · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
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It is worth noting the verb krīḍan, "playing," from krīḍ, "to play"; and from the same root comes līlā, "play," the word by which the Vaiṣṇava side denotes all the Lord's deeds. This concept deserves examination, for it distinguishes her and draws objections. The usual objection is this: if the world is His play, then our sufferings are entertainment for Him, and that is cruel.
Her answer to this is twofold, and both parts are worth citing. The first: the word līlā is applied not to His governance of the world but to His own deeds in Vṛndāvana. The creation and maintenance of the world are the province of māyā-śakti and His officials; līlā is what He does Himself, among His own.
The second answer is more essential. Līlā denotes an action performed not out of need. One works from necessity; one plays because one wants to.
The Vedānta-sūtra poses this question directly: why should the perfect one create? — and answers: loka-vat tu līlā-kaivalyam, "but [this] is mere play, as in the world" (2.1.33). This answer sounds like an evasion, but is in fact the only possible one. If He lacks nothing, then every action of His has no cause in need; and action without need is precisely play.
Let us add what follows from this for us. One who calls us into play does not call us to work for him; and the distinction between hired service and play with friends is exactly what distinguishes the Vaiṣṇava description of the goal from the rest.