उपनिषद् · Gopāla-tāpanī Uttara 58
॥
देवनागरी
चतुर्धा चास्याधिकार भेदत्वेन यजन्ति माम्
लिप्यंतरण (IAST)
caturdhā cāsyādhikāra bhedatvena yajanti mām
शब्दशः अर्थ
संस्कृतIASTअर्थ
चतुर्धा च अस्यcaturdhā ca asyaand fourfold His; and in four ways His
अधिकार भेदत्वेनadhikāra bhedatvenaby difference of eligibility; according to differing readiness
यजन्ति माम्yajanti māmthey worship Me; they render Me honour
अनुवाद
"And fourfold, according to their difference of eligibility, they worship Me."
संस्करण
de79166619f3 · प्रकाशित 28 जुल॰ 2026, 2:30:24 pm UTC
उपलब्ध भाषाएँRUENश्लोक बदलें इन कुंजियों से
It is stated that worship is not uniform: it is fourfold, and it differs by adhikāra — "eligibility".
The word in the śāstras means not a caste privilege but a readiness: a person's capacity and station, determining what is within his power and what is entrusted to him. The Pūrva-tāpanī said the same, distinguishing the root mantra for those thirsting for freedom from the derivative ones for those seeking prosperity.
The quaternity in question is Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, Pradyumna and Aniruddha; the following mantras will name them outright and say who is given which worship.
What matters is the thought itself. A single object of worship does not require uniform worshippers: different people are given different doors, and this is no condescension but a design.
Vedānta develops this thought in detail: a difference of temperament and capacity gives rise to different modes of service, and the Lord Himself pours them out among communities as water is poured into channels.