Gopala
By Jogendra Chandra Ghosh
Vol. 7 · No. 4December - 1931pp. 751-753English
Summary
In this brief article the author analyses the term ‘Gopāla’, literally ‘protector of cows’, a title applied to both Krishna and historical rulers. He traces the word’s appearance in epic and Purāṇic literature, where it denotes Krishna’s role as a cowherd. The article then examines inscriptions where kings assume the epithet Gopāla to emphasise their pastoral origins or protective functions. The author concludes that the term carries both religious and political connotations, symbolising divine kingship rooted in agrarian society.
Conclusion
The study of ‘Gopāla’ highlights the interplay between pastoral symbolism and royal ideology in Indian tradition.