Gopalaka, Gopālaka, Go-palaka: 16 definitions
Introduction:
Gopalaka means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Hinduism
Kavya (poetry)
Source: Wisdom Library: KathāsaritsāgaraGopālaka (गोपालक) is the name of one of the two sons of Caṇḍamahāsena and his wife Aṅgāravatī from Ujjayinī, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 11. Gopālaka had a brother named Pālaka. Caṇḍamahāsena was previously known by the name Mahāsena and was the son of Jayasena, son of Mahendravarman (king of Ujjayinī). Aṅgāravatī was the daughter of Aṅgāraka, who broke the chariot of Caṇḍamahāsena in the form of a fierce boar and fled into a cavern, but was later slain by Caṇḍamahāsena.
In Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 13, Pālaka and Gopālaka were pursuing Udayana (king of Vatsa), who escaped from Caṇḍamahāsena together Vasantaka, Yaugandharāyaṇa, Vāsavadattā and Kāñcanamālā.
The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Gopālaka, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravāhanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The work is said to have been an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā consisting of 100,000 verses, which in turn is part of a larger work containing 700,000 verses.
Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaGopālaka (गोपालक).—A son born to Caṇḍamahāsena of his wife Aṅgāravatī. Besides Gopālaka he had another son named Pālaka. (Kathāsaritsāgara, Kathāmukhalaṃbaka, Taraṅga 3).
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationGopālaka (गोपालक) refers to the “protector of cows”, and is used to describe Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.41.—Accordingly, as Viṣṇu and others eulogized Śiva:—“[...] O righteous one, how is it that the sacrifice has been broken by you? O great God, you are a benefactor of Brahmins. O lord, how can you be a destroyer of sacrificers? You are the protector of virtue, Brahmins and cows (i.e., gopālaka—brāhmaṇānāṃ gavāṃ caiva dharmasya pratipālakaḥ). O lord, you are the shelter for all living beings and worthy of being bowed to”.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraGopālaka (गोपालक) refers to a “cow-herder” according Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter IV). Accordingly, at the time of the Buddha, the cow-herders (gopālaka) wanted to test the Buddha for his omniscience by testing his knowledge against the science of cow-herding. They asked him about the eleven rules of cow-herding, observing which, the cow-herder can make his herd prosper.
Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarygopālaka : (m.) a cowherd.
Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryGopālaka (गोपालक).—
1) a cowherd.
2) a king.
3) an epithet of Śiva; also of Kṛṣṇa.
Derivable forms: gopālakaḥ (गोपालकः).
Gopālaka is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms go and pālaka (पालक).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryGopālaka (गोपालक).—name of a śreṣṭhin: Gaṇḍavyūha 525.17.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryGopālaka (गोपालक).—m.
(-kaḥ) 1. Siva. 2. Krishna. 3. A cow keeper or protector. E. go a cow or the earth, pāl to cherish, and ṇvul aff.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryGopālaka (गोपालक).—I. m. 1. a cowherd. 2. a proper name. Ii. f. likā, the wife of a cowherd.
Gopālaka is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms go and pālaka (पालक).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryGopālaka (गोपालक).—[masculine] cowherd ([feminine] likā); [Epithet] of Kṛṣṇa.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Gopālaka (गोपालक):—[=go-pālaka] [from go] m. a cowherd, [Mahābhārata iii, 14854; Kathāsaritsāgara xviii]
2) [v.s. ...] Name of Kṛṣṇa, [Kramadīpikā]
3) [v.s. ...] of Śiva, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) [v.s. ...] of a son of king Caṇḍamahā-sena, [Kathāsaritsāgara] (la, [xvi, 103])
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryGopālaka (गोपालक):—[go-pālaka] (kaḥ) 1. m. Shiva, Krishna; a cow-keeper.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Gopālaka (गोपालक) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Govālaya.
[Sanskrit to German]
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusGōpālaka (ಗೋಪಾಲಕ):—[noun] = ಗೋಪಾಲ - [gopala -] 1.
--- OR ---
Gōpāḷaka (ಗೋಪಾಳಕ):—[noun] = ಗೋಪಾಲ - [gopala -] 1.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Gopalakaccha, Gopalakachchha, Gopalakaksha, Gopalakala, Gopalakalpa, Gopalakarika, Gopalakarkati, Gopalakavaca, Gopalakavacamantradi, Gopalakavacapanjara, Gopalakavali.
Ends with: Vacchagopalaka.
Full-text (+4): Gopalika, Pratyaranya, Palaka, Govalaya, Gopalava, Vacchagopalaka, Dandapalaka, Gogana, Brahmanapalaka, Dharmapalaka, Atuma, Manjulika, Candamahasena, Bharataroha, Avantika, Vasavadatta, Bandhumati, Dhanika, Aduma, Lavanaka.
Relevant text
Search found 7 books and stories containing Gopalaka, Gopālaka, Go-palaka, Go-pālaka, Gōpālaka, Gōpāḷaka; (plurals include: Gopalakas, Gopālakas, palakas, pālakas, Gōpālakas, Gōpāḷakas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Appendix 7 - Eleven rules for the cow-herder (gopālaka) < [Chapter IV - Explanation of the Word Bhagavat]
Part 2.3 - Why celebrate the upavāsa of six days of fasting < [Section II.1 - Morality of the lay person or avadātavasana]
The Miracle of Ādumā < [Part 2 - The Eight Recollections according to the Abhidharma]
Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)
Chapter CXI < [Book XVI - Suratamañjarī]
Chapter XVI < [Book III - Lāvānaka]
Chapter XIV < [Book II - Kathāmukha]
Dasarupaka (critical study) (by Anuru Ranjan Mishra)
Part 12 - Society in the Dūtavākya < [Chapter 5 - Vyāyoga (critical study)]
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)
Dipavamsa (study) (by Sibani Barman)
The Jataka tales [English], Volume 1-6 (by Robert Chalmers)
Jataka 509: Hatthi-Pāla Jātaka < [Volume 4]