६३

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

This chapter describes the battle between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Śiva, as well as Śiva’s glorification of Kṛṣṇa after the Lord had cut off Bāṇāsura’s arms.

When Aniruddha did not return from Śoṇitapura, His family and friends passed the four months of the rainy season in extreme distress. When they finally heard from Nārada Muni how Aniruddha had been captured, a large army of the best Yādava warriors, under Kṛṣṇa’s protection, set off for Bāṇāsura’s capital and laid siege to it. Bāṇāsura fiercely opposed them with his own army of equal size. To help Bāṇāsura, Lord Śiva, accompanied by Kārtikeya and a horde of mystic sages, took up arms against Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa. Bāṇa began fighting against Sātyaki, and Bāṇa’s son fought against Sāmba. All the demigods assembled in the sky to witness the battle. With His arrows Lord Kṛṣṇa harassed the followers of Lord Śiva, and by putting Lord Śiva into a state of confusion He was able to destroy Bāṇāsura’s army. Kārtikeya was so strongly beaten by Pradyumna that he fled the battlefield, while the remnants of Bāṇāsura’s army, harried by the blows of Lord Balarāma’s club, scattered in all directions.

Enraged to see his army’s destruction, Bāṇāsura rushed Kṛṣṇa to attack Him. But the Lord immediately killed Bāṇa’s chariot driver and broke his chariot and bow, and then He sounded His Pāñcajanya conchshell. Next Bāṇāsura’s mother, trying to save her son, appeared naked in front of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who averted His face to avoid looking at her. Seeing his chance, Bāṇa fled into his city.

After Lord Kṛṣṇa had thoroughly defeated the ghosts and hobgoblins fighting under Lord Śiva, the Śiva-jvara weapon — a personification of fever with three heads and three legs — approached Lord Kṛṣṇa to fight Him. Seeing the Śiva-jvara, Kṛṣṇa released His Viṣṇu-jvara. The Śiva-jvara was overwhelmed by the Viṣṇu-jvara; having nowhere else to turn for shelter, the Śiva-jvara began to address Lord Kṛṣṇa, glorifying Him and asking for mercy. Lord Kṛṣṇa was pleased with the Śiva-jvara, and after the Lord had promised him freedom from fear, the Śiva-jvara bowed down to Him and departed.

Next Bāṇāsura returned and attacked Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa again, wielding all kinds of weapons in his thousand hands. But Lord Kṛṣṇa took His Sudarśana disc and began cutting off all the demon’s arms. Lord Śiva approached Kṛṣṇa to pray for Bāṇāsura’s life, and when the Lord agreed to spare him, He spoke as follows to Śiva: “Bāṇāsura does not deserve to die, since he was born in the family of Prahlāda Mahārāja. I have severed all but four of Bāṇa’s arms just to destroy his false pride, and I have annihilated his army because they were a burden to the earth. Henceforward he will be free from old age and death, and remaining fearless in all circumstances, he will be one of your principal attendants.”

Assured he had nothing to fear, Bāṇāsura then offered his obeisances to Lord Kṛṣṇa and had Ūṣā and Aniruddha seated on their wedding chariot and brought before the Lord. Kṛṣṇa then set off for Dvārakā with Aniruddha and His bride leading the procession. When the newlyweds arrived at the Lord’s capital, they were honored by the citizens, the Lord’s relatives and the brāhmaṇas.

Text 1

Devanagari

श्रीशुक उवाच
अपश्यतां चानिरुद्धं तद्बन्धूनां च भारत ।
चत्वारो वार्षिका मासा व्यतीयुरनुशोचताम् ॥ १ ॥

Verse text

śṛī-śuka uvāca
apaśyatāṁ cāniruddhaṁ
tad-bandhūnāṁ ca bhārata
catvāro vārṣikā māsā
vyatīyur anuśocatām

Synonyms

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; apaśyatām — who did not see; ca — and; aniruddham — Aniruddha; tat — His; bandhūnām — for the relatives; ca — and; bhārata — O descendant of Bharata (Parīkṣit Mahārāja); catvāraḥ — four; vārṣikaḥ — of the rainy season; māsāḥ — the months; vyatīyuḥ — passed; anuśocatām — who were lamenting.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O descendant of Bharata, the relatives of Aniruddha, not seeing Him return, continued to lament as the four rainy months passed.

Text 2

Devanagari

नारदात्तदुपाकर्ण्य वार्तां बद्धस्य कर्म च ।
प्रययु- शोणितपुरं वृष्णय- कृष्णदैवता- ॥ २ ॥

Verse text

nāradāt tad upākarṇya
vārtāṁ baddhasya karma ca
prayayuḥ śoṇita-puraṁ
vṛṣṇayaḥ kṛṣṇa-daivatāḥ

Synonyms

nāradāt — from Nārada; tat — that; upākarṇya — hearing; vārtām — news; baddhasya — about Him who was captured; karma — actions; ca — and; prayayuḥ — they went; śoṇita-puram — to Śoṇitapura; vṛṣṇayaḥ — the Vṛṣṇis; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa; daivatāḥ — having as their worshipable Deity.

Translation

After hearing from Nārada the news of Aniruddha’s deeds and His capture, the Vṛṣṇis, who worshiped Lord Kṛṣṇa as their personal Deity, went to Śoṇitapura.

Texts 3-4

Devanagari

प्रद्युम्नो युयुधानश्च गद- साम्बोऽथ सारण- । नन्दोपनन्दभद्राद्या रामकृष्णानुवर्तिन- ॥ ३ ॥ अक्षौहिणीभिर्द्वादशभि- समेता- सर्वतोदिशम् । रुरुधुर्बाणनगरं समन्तात् सात्वतर्षभा- ॥ ४ ॥

Verse text

pradyumno yuyudhānaś ca
gadaḥ sāmbo ’tha sāraṇaḥ
nandopananda-bhadrādyā
rāma-kṛṣṇānuvartinaḥ

akṣauhiṇībhir dvādaśabhiḥ
sametāḥ sarvato diśam
rurudhur bāṇa-nagaraṁ
samantāt sātvatarṣabhāḥ

Synonyms

pradyumnaḥ yuyudhānaḥ ca — Pradyumna and Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki); gadaḥ sāmbaḥ atha sāraṇaḥ — Gada, Sāmba and Sāraṇa; nanda-upananda-bhadra — Nanda, Upananda and Bhadra; ādyāḥ — and others; rāma-kṛṣṇa-anuvartinaḥ — following Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa; akṣauhiṇībhiḥ — with military divisions; dvādaśabhiḥ — twelve; sametāḥ — assembled; sarvataḥ diśam — on all sides; rurudhuḥ — they besieged; bāṇa-nagaram — Bāṇāsura’s city; samantāt — totally; sātvata-ṛṣabhāḥ — the chiefs of the Sātvatas.

Translation

With Lord Balarāma and Lord Kṛṣṇa in the lead, the chiefs of the Sātvata clan — Pradyumna, Sātyaki, Gada, Sāmba, Sāraṇa, Nanda, Upananda, Bhadra and others — converged with an army of twelve divisions and laid siege to Bāṇasura’s capital, completely surrounding the city on all sides.

Text 5

Devanagari

भज्यमानपुरोद्यानप्राकाराट्टालगोपुरम् ।
प्रेक्षमाणो रुषाविष्टस्तुल्यसैन्योऽभिनिर्ययौ ॥ ५ ॥

Verse text

bhajyamāna-purodyāna-
prākārāṭṭāla-gopuram
prekṣamāṇo ruṣāviṣṭas
tulya-sainyo ’bhiniryayau

Synonyms

bhajyamāna — being broken; pura — of the city; udyāna — the gardens; prākāra — elevated walls; aṭṭāla — watchtowers; gopuram — and gateways; prekṣamāṇaḥ — seeing; ruṣā — with anger; āviṣṭaḥ — filled; tulya — equal; sainyaḥ — with an army; abhiniryayau — went out toward them.

Translation

Bāṇāsura became filled with anger upon seeing them destroy his city’s suburban gardens, ramparts, watchtowers and gateways, and thus he went out to confront them with an army of equal size.

Text 6

Devanagari

बाणार्थे भगवान् रुद्र- ससुत- प्रमथैर्वृत- ।
आरुह्य नन्दिवृषभं युयुधे रामकृष्णयो- ॥ ६ ॥

Verse text

bāṇārthe bhagavān rudraḥ
sa-sutaḥ pramathair vṛtaḥ
āruhya nandi-vṛṣabhaṁ
yuyudhe rāma-kṛṣṇayoḥ

Synonyms

bāṇa-arthe — for Bāṇa’s sake; bhagavān rudraḥ — Lord Śiva; sa-sutaḥ — together with his son (Kārtikeya, the general of the demigods’ army); pramathaiḥ — by the Pramathas (mystic sages who always attend Lord Śiva, appearing in a multitude of forms); vṛtaḥ — accompanied; āruhya — riding; nandi — on Nandi; vṛṣabham — his bull; yuyudhe — he fought; rāma-kṛṣṇayoḥ — with Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa.

Translation

Lord Rudra, accompanied by his son Kārtikeya and the Pramathas, came riding on Nandi, his bull carrier, to fight Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa on Bāṇa’s behalf.

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī states that the word bhagavān is used here to indicate that Lord Śiva is by nature all-knowing and thus well aware of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s greatness. Still, although Śiva knew Lord Kṛṣṇa would defeat him, he joined the battle against Him to demonstrate the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura states that Lord Śiva entered the battle for two reasons: first, to increase Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure and enthusiasm; and second, to demonstrate that the Lord’s incarnation as Kṛṣṇa, although enacting humanlike pastimes, is superior to other avatāras, such as Lord Rāmacandra. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī further states in this regard that Yoga-māyā, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s internal potency, bewildered Lord Śiva just as she had bewildered Brahmā. In support of this statement, the ācārya cites the phrase brahma-rudrādi-mohanam from Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Of course, Yoga-māyā’s job is to make fine arrangements for the Lord’s pastimes, and thus Śiva became enthusiastic to battle the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa.

Text 7

Devanagari

आसीत्सुतुमुलं युद्धमद्भ‍ुतं रोमहर्षणम् ।
कृष्णशङ्करयो राजन् प्रद्युम्नगुहयोरपि ॥ ७ ॥

Verse text

āsīt su-tumulaṁ yuddham
adbhutaṁ roma-harṣaṇam
kṛṣṇa-śaṅkarayo rājan
pradyumna-guhayor api

Synonyms

āsīt — there occurred; su-tumulam — very tumultuous; yuddham — a fight; adbhutam — astonishing; roma-harṣaṇam — causing bodily hair to stand on end; kṛṣṇa-śaṅkarayoḥ — between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Śiva; rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); pradyumna-guhayoḥ — between Pradyumna and Kārtikeya; api — also.

Translation

A most astonishing, tumultuous and hair-raising battle then commenced, with Lord Kṛṣṇa matched against Lord Śaṅkara, and Pradyumna against Kārtikeya.

Text 8

Devanagari

कुम्भाण्डकूपकर्णाभ्यां बलेन सह संयुग- ।
साम्बस्य बाणपुत्रेण बाणेन सह सात्यके- ॥ ८ ॥

Verse text

kumbhāṇḍa-kūpakarṇābhyāṁ
balena saha saṁyugaḥ
sāmbasya bāṇa-putreṇa
bāṇena saha sātyakeḥ

Synonyms

kumbhāṇḍa-kūpakarṇābhyām — by Kumbhāṇḍa and Kūpakarṇa; balena saha — with Lord Balarāma; saṁyugaḥ — a fight; sāmbasya — of Sāmba; bāṇa-putreṇa — with the son of Bāṇa; bāṇena saha — with Bāṇa; sātyakeḥ — of Sātyaki.

Translation

Lord Balarāma fought with Kumbhāṇḍa and Kūpakarṇa, Sāmba with Bāṇa’s son, and Sātyaki with Bāṇa.

Text 9

Devanagari

ब्रह्मादय- सुराधीशा मुनय- सिद्धचारणा- ।
गन्धर्वाप्सरसो यक्षा विमानैर्द्रष्टुमागमन् ॥ ९ ॥

Verse text

brahmādayaḥ surādhīśā
munayaḥ siddha-cāraṇāḥ
gandharvāpsaraso yakṣā
vimānair draṣṭum āgaman

Synonyms

brahma-ādayaḥ — headed by Lord Brahmā; sura — of the demigods; adhīśāḥ — the rulers; munayaḥ — great sages; siddha-cāraṇāḥ — the Siddha and Cāraṇa demigods; gandharva-apsarasaḥ — the Gandharvas and Apsarās; yakṣāḥ — the Yakṣas; vimānaiḥ — in airplanes; draṣṭum — to see; āgaman — came.

Translation

Brahmā and the other ruling demigods, along with Siddhas, Cāraṇas and great sages, as well as Gandharvas, Apsarās and Yakṣas, all came in their celestial airplanes to watch.

Texts 10-11

Devanagari

शङ्करानुचरान् शौरिर्भूतप्रमथगुह्यकान् ।
डाकिनीर्यातुधानांश्च वेतालान् सविनायकान् ॥ १० ॥
प्रेतमातृपिशाचांश्च कुष्माण्डान् ब्रह्मराक्षसान् ।
द्रावयामास तीक्ष्णाग्रै- शरै- शार्ङ्गधनुश्‍च्युतै- ॥ ११ ॥

Verse text

śaṅkarānucarān śaurir
bhūta-pramatha-guhyakān
ḍākinīr yātudhānāṁś ca
vetālān sa-vināyakān

preta-mātṛ-piśācāṁś ca
kuṣmāṇḍān brahma-rākṣasān
drāvayām āsa tīkṣṇāgraiḥ
śaraiḥ śārṅga-dhanuś-cyutaiḥ

Synonyms

śaṅkara — of Lord Śiva; anucarān — the followers; śauriḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; bhūta-pramatha — Bhūtas and Pramathas; guhyakān — Guhyakas (servants of Kuvera who help him guard the treasury of heaven); ḍākinīḥ — female demons who attend Goddess Kālī; yātudhānān — man-eating demons, also known as Rākṣasas; ca — and; vetālān — vampires; sa-vināyakān — together with Vināyakas; preta — ghosts; mātṛ — maternal demons; piśācān — meat-eating demons who live in the middle regions of outer space; ca — also; kuṣmāṇḍān — followers of Lord Śiva who engage in breaking the meditation of yogīs; brahma-rākṣasān — the demoniac spirits of brāhmaṇas who have died sinfully; drāvayām āsa — He drove away; tīkṣṇa-agraiḥ — sharp-pointed; śaraiḥ — with His arrows; śārṅga-dhanuḥ — from His bow, named Śārṅga; cyutaiḥ — discharged.

Translation

With sharp-pointed arrows discharged from His bow Śārṅga, Lord Kṛṣṇa drove away the various followers of Lord Śiva — Bhūtas, Pramathas, Guhyakas, Ḍākinīs, Yātudhānas, Vetālas, Vināyakas, Pretas, Mātās, Piśācas, Kuṣmāṇḍas and Brahma-rākṣasas.

Text 12

Devanagari

पृथग्विधानि प्रायुङ्क्त पिणाक्यस्‍त्राणि शार्ङ्गिणे ।
प्रत्यस्‍त्रै- शमयामास शार्ङ्गपाणिरविस्मित- ॥ १२ ॥

Verse text

pṛthag-vidhāni prāyuṅkta
piṇāky astrāṇi śārṅgiṇe
praty-astraiḥ śamayām āsa
śārṅga-pāṇir avismitaḥ

Synonyms

pṛthak-vidhāni — of various kinds; prāyuṅkta — engaged; piṇākī — Lord Śiva, the holder of the trident; astrāṇi — weapons; śārṅgiṇe — against Lord Kṛṣṇa, the holder of Śārṅga; prati-astraiḥ — with counterweapons; śamayām āsa — neutralized them; śārṅga-pāṇiḥ — the carrier of Śārṅga; avismitaḥ — not perplexed.

Translation

Lord Śiva, wielder of the trident, shot various weapons at Lord Kṛṣṇa, wielder of Śārṅga. But Lord Kṛṣṇa was not in the least perplexed: He neutralized all these weapons with appropriate counterweapons.

Text 13

Devanagari

ब्रह्मास्‍त्रस्य च ब्रह्मास्‍त्रं वायव्यस्य च पार्वतम् ।
आग्नेयस्य च पार्जन्यं नैजं पाशुपतस्य च ॥ १३ ॥

Verse text

brahmāstrasya ca brahmāstraṁ
vāyavyasya ca pārvatam
āgneyasya ca pārjanyaṁ
naijaṁ pāśupatasya ca

Synonyms

brahma-astrasya — of the brahmāstra; ca — and; brahma-astram — a brahmāstra; vāyavyasya — of the wind weapon; ca — and; parvatam — a mountain weapon; āgneyasya — of the fire weapon; ca — and; pārjanyam — a rain weapon; naijam — His own weapon (the nārāyaṇāstra); pāśupatasya — of Lord Śiva’s own pāśupatāstra; ca — and.

Translation

Lord Kṛṣṇa counteracted a brahmāstra with another brahmāstra, a wind weapon with a mountain weapon, a fire weapon with a rain weapon, and Lord Śiva’s personal pāśupatāstra weapon with His own personal weapon, the nārāyaṇāstra.

Text 14

Devanagari

मोहयित्वा तु गिरिशं जृम्भणास्‍त्रेण जृम्भितम् ।
बाणस्य पृतनां शौरिर्जघानासिगदेषुभि- ॥ १४ ॥

Verse text

mohayitvā tu giriśaṁ
jṛmbhaṇāstreṇa jṛmbhitam
bāṇasya pṛtanāṁ śaurir
jaghānāsi-gadeṣubhiḥ

Synonyms

mohayitvā — bewildering; tu — then; giriśam — Lord Śiva; jṛmbhaṇa-astreṇa — with a yawning weapon; jṛmbhitam — made to yawn; bāṇasya — of Bāṇa; pṛtanām — the army; śauriḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; jaghāna — struck; asi — with His sword; gadā — club; iṣubhiḥ — and arrows.

Translation

After bewildering Lord Śiva by making him yawn with a yawning weapon, Lord Kṛṣṇa proceeded to strike down Bāṇāsura’s army with His sword, club and arrows.

Text 15

Devanagari

स्कन्द- प्रद्युम्नबाणौघैरर्द्यमान- समन्तत- ।
असृग् विमुञ्चन् गात्रेभ्य- शिखिनापक्रमद् रणात् ॥ १५ ॥

Verse text

skandaḥ pradyumna-bāṇaughair
ardyamānaḥ samantataḥ
asṛg vimuñcan gātrebhyaḥ
śikhināpakramad raṇāt

Synonyms

skandaḥ — Kārtikeya; pradyumna-bāṇa — of Pradyumna’s arrows; oghaiḥ — by the torrents; ardyamānaḥ — distressed; samantataḥ — on all sides; asṛk — blood; vimuñcan — exuding; gātrebhyaḥ — from his limbs; śikhinā — on his peacock carrier; apākramat — went away; raṇāt — from the battlefield.

Translation

Lord Kārtikeya was distressed by the flood of Pradyumna’s arrows raining down from all sides, and thus he fled the battlefield on his peacock as blood poured from his limbs.

Text 16

Devanagari

कुम्भाण्डकूपकर्णश्च पेततुर्मुषलार्दितौ ।
दुद्रुवुस्तदनीकानि हतनाथानि सर्वत- ॥ १६ ॥

Verse text

kumbhāṇḍa-kūpakarṇaś ca
petatur muṣalārditau
dudruvus tad-anīkani
hata-nāthāni sarvataḥ

Synonyms

kumbhāṇḍa-kūpakarṇaḥ ca — Kumbhāṇḍa and Kūpakarṇa; petatuḥ — fell; muṣala — by the club (of Lord Balarāma); arditau — distressed; dudruvuḥ — fled; tat — their; anīkāni — armies; hata — killed; nāthāni — whose leaders; sarvataḥ — in all directions.

Translation

Kumbhāṇḍa and Kūpakarṇa, tormented by Lord Balarāma’s club, fell down dead. When the soldiers of these two demons saw that their leaders had been killed, they scattered in all directions.

Text 17

Devanagari

विशीर्यमाणं स्वबलं द‍ृष्ट्वा बाणोऽत्यमर्षित- ।
कृष्णमभ्यद्रवत् सङ्ख्ये रथी हित्वैव सात्यकिम् ॥ १७ ॥

Verse text

viśīryamāṇam sva-balaṁ
dṛṣṭvā bāṇo ’ty-amarṣitaḥ
kṛṣṇam abhyadravat saṅkhye
rathī hitvaiva sātyakim

Synonyms

viśīryamāṇam — being torn apart; sva — his; balam — military force; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; bāṇaḥ — Bāṇāsura; ati — extremely; amarṣitaḥ — infuriated; kṛṣṇam — Lord Kṛṣṇa; abhyadravat — he attacked; saṅkhye — on the battlefield; rathī — riding on his chariot; hitvā — leaving aside; eva — indeed; sātyakim — Sātyaki.

Translation

Bāṇāsura was furious to see his entire military force being torn apart. Leaving his fight with Sātyaki, he charged across the battlefield on his chariot and attacked Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Text 18

Devanagari

धनूंष्याकृष्य युगपद् बाण- पञ्चशतानि वै ।
एकैकस्मिन् शरौ द्वौ द्वौ सन्दधे रणदुर्मद- ॥ १८ ॥

Verse text

dhanūṁṣy ākṛṣya yugapad
bāṇaḥ pañca-śatāni vai
ekaikasmin śarau dvau dvau
sandadhe raṇa-durmadaḥ

Synonyms

dhanūṁṣi — bows; ākṛṣya — pulling back; yugapat — simultaneously; bāṇaḥ — Bāṇa; pañca-śatāni — five hundred; vai — indeed; eka-ekasmin — upon each one; śarau — arrows; dvau dvau — two for each; sandadhe — he fixed; raṇa — due to the fighting; durmadaḥ — mad with pride.

Translation

Excited to a frenzy by the fighting, Bāṇa simultaneously pulled taut all the strings of his five hundred bows and fixed two arrows on each string.

Text 19

Devanagari

तानि चिच्छेद भगवान् धनूंषि युगपद्धरि- ।
सारथिं रथमश्वांश्च हत्वा शङ्खमपूरयत् ॥ १९ ॥

Verse text

tāni ciccheda bhagavān
dhanūṁsi yugapad dhariḥ
sārathiṁ ratham aśvāṁś ca
hatvā śaṅkham apūrayat

Synonyms

tāni — these; ciccheda — split; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; dhanūṁsi — bows; yugapat — all at once; hariḥ — Śrī Kṛṣṇa; sārathim — the chariot driver; ratham — the chariot; aśvān — the horses; ca — and; hatvā — after hitting; śaṅkham — His conchshell; apūrayat — He filled.

Translation

Lord Śrī Hari split every one of Bāṇāsura’s bows simultaneously, and also struck down his chariot driver, chariot and horses. The Lord then sounded His conchshell.

Text 20

Devanagari

तन्माता कोटरा नाम नग्ना मक्तशिरोरुहा ।
पुरोऽवतस्थे कृष्णस्य पुत्रप्राणरिरक्षया ॥ २० ॥

Verse text

tan-mātā koṭarā nāma
nagnā makta-śiroruhā
puro ’vatasthe kṛṣṇasya
putra-prāṇa-rirakṣayā

Synonyms

tat — his (Bāṇāsura’s); mātā — mother; koṭarā nāma — named Koṭarā; nagnā — naked; mukta — loosened; śiraḥ-ruhā — her hair; puraḥ — in front; avatasthe — stood; kṛṣṇasya — of Kṛṣṇa; putra — her son’s; prāṇa — life; rirakṣayā — hoping to save.

Translation

Just then Bāṇāsura’s mother, Koṭarā, desiring to save her son’s life, appeared before Lord Kṛṣṇa naked and with her hair undone.

Text 21

Devanagari

ततस्तिर्यङ्‍मुखो नग्नामनिरीक्षन् गदाग्रज- ।
बाणश्च तावद् विरथश्छिन्नधन्वाविशत् पुरम् ॥ २१ ॥

Verse text

tatas tiryaṅ-mukho nagnām
anirīkṣan gadāgrajaḥ
bāṇaś ca tāvad virathaś
chinna-dhanvāviśat puram

Synonyms

tataḥ — then; tiryak — turned away; mukhaḥ — His face; nagnām — the naked woman; anirīkṣan — not looking at; gadāgrajaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; bāṇaḥ — Bāṇa; ca — and; tāvat — with that opportunity; virathaḥ — deprived of his chariot; chinna — broken; dhanvā — his bow; āviśat — entered; puram — the city.

Translation

Lord Gadāgraja turned His face away to avoid seeing the naked woman, and Bāṇāsura — deprived of his chariot, his bow shattered — took the opportunity to flee into his city.

Text 22

Devanagari

विद्राविते भूतगणे ज्वरस्तु त्रिशिरास्‍त्रीपात् ।
अभ्यधावत दाशार्हं दहन्निव दिशो दश ॥ २२ ॥

Verse text

vidrāvite bhūta-gaṇe
jvaras tu trī-śirās trī-pāt
abhyadhāvata dāśārhaṁ
dahann iva diśo daśa

Synonyms

vidrāvite — having been driven away; bhūta-gaṇe — all the followers of Lord Śiva; jvaraḥ — the personification of fever who serves him, Lord Śiva; tu — but; tri — three; śirāḥ — having heads; tri — three; pāt — having feet; abhyadhāvata — ran toward; dāśārham — Lord Kṛṣṇa; dahan — burning; iva — as if it were; diśaḥ — the directions; daśa — ten.

Translation

After Lord Śiva’s followers had been driven away, the Śiva-jvara, who had three heads and three feet, pressed forward to attack Lord Kṛṣṇa. As the Śiva-jvara approached, he seemed to burn everything in the ten directions.

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī quotes the following description of the Śiva-jvara:

jvaras tri-padas tri-śirāḥ
ṣaḍ-bhujo nava-locanaḥ
bhasma-praharaṇo raudraḥ
kālāntaka-yamopamaḥ

“The terrible Śiva-jvara had three legs, three heads, six arms and nine eyes. Showering ashes, he resembled Yamarāja at the time of universal annihilation.”

Text 23

Devanagari

अथ नारायण- देव- तं द‍ृष्ट्वा व्यसृजज्ज्वरम् ।
माहेश्वरो वैष्णवश्च युयुधाते ज्वरावुभौ ॥ २३ ॥

Verse text

atha nārāyaṇaḥ devaḥ
taṁ dṛṣṭvā vyasṛjaj jvaram
māheśvaro vaiṣṇavaś ca
yuyudhāte jvarāv ubhau

Synonyms

atha — thereupon; nārāyaṇaḥ devaḥ — Lord Nārāyaṇa (Kṛṣṇa); tam — him (the Śiva-jvara); dṛṣṭvā — seeing; vyasṛjat — released; jvaram — His personified fever (of extreme cold, as opposed to the extreme heat of the Śiva-jvara); māheśvaraḥ — of Lord Māheśvara; vaiṣṇavaḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; ca — and; yuyudhāte — fought; jvarau — the two fevers; ubhau — against each other.

Translation

Seeing this personified weapon approach, Lord Nārāyaṇa then released His own personified fever weapon, the Viṣṇu-jvara. The Śiva-jvara and Viṣṇu-jvara thus battled each other.

Text 24

Devanagari

माहेश्वर- समाक्रन्दन् वैष्णवेन बलार्दित- ।
अलब्ध्वाभयमन्यत्र भीतो माहेश्वरो ज्वर- ।
शरणार्थी हृषीकेशं तुष्टाव प्रयताञ्जलि- ॥ २४ ॥

Verse text

māheśvaraḥ samākrandan
vaiṣṇavena balārditaḥ
alabdhvābhayam anyatra
bhīto māheśvaro jvaraḥ
śaraṇārthī hṛṣīkeśaṁ
tuṣṭāva prayatāñjaliḥ

Synonyms

māheśvaraḥ — (the fever weapon) of Lord Śiva; samākrandan — crying out; vaiṣṇavena — of the Vaiṣṇava-jvara; bala — by the strength; arditaḥ — tormented; alabdhvā — not obtaining; abhayam — fearlessness; anyatra — elsewhere; bhītaḥ — frightened; māheśvaraḥ jvaraḥ — the Māheśvara-jvara; śaraṇa — for shelter; arthī — hankering; hṛṣīkeśam — Lord Kṛṣṇa, the master of everyone’s senses; tuṣṭāva — he praised; prayata-añjaliḥ — with palms joined in supplication.

Translation

The Śiva-jvara, overwhelmed by the strength of the Viṣṇu-jvara, cried out in pain. But finding no refuge, the frightened Śiva-jvara approached Lord Kṛṣṇa, the master of the senses, hoping to attain His shelter. Thus with joined palms he began to praise the Lord.

Purport

As pointed out by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, it is significant that the Śiva-jvara had to leave the side of his master, Lord Śiva, and directly take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Text 25

Devanagari

ज्वर उवाच
नमामि त्वानन्तशक्तिं परेशं
सर्वात्मानं केवलं ज्ञप्तिमात्रम् ।
विश्वोत्पत्तिस्थानसंरोधहेतुं
यत्तद् ब्रह्म ब्रह्मलिङ्गं प्रशान्तम् ॥ २५ ॥

Verse text

jvara uvāca
namāmi tvānanta-śaktiṁ pareśam
sarvātmānaṁ kevalaṁ jñapti-mātram
viśvotpatti-sthāna-saṁrodha-hetuṁ
yat tad brahma brahma-liṅgam praśāntam

Synonyms

jvaraḥ uvāca — the fever weapon (of Lord Śiva) said; namāmi — I bow down; tvā — to You; ananta — unlimited; śaktim — whose potencies; para — Supreme; īśam — the Lord; sarva — of all; ātmānam — the Soul; kevalam — pure; jñapti — of consciousness; mātram — the totality; viśva — of the universe; utpatti — of the creation; sthāna — maintenance; saṁrodha — and dissolution; hetum — the cause; yat — which; tat — that; brahma — Absolute Truth; brahma — by the Vedas; lingam — indirect reference to whom; praśāntam — perfectly peaceful.

Translation

The Śiva-jvara said: I bow down to You of unlimited potencies, the Supreme Lord, the Supersoul of all beings. You possess pure and complete consciousness and are the cause of cosmic creation, maintenance and dissolution. Perfectly peaceful, You are the Absolute Truth to whom the Vedas indirectly refer.

Purport

Previously the Śiva-jvara felt himself to be unlimitedly powerful and thus attempted to burn Śrī Kṛṣṇa. But now he himself has been burned, and understanding that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, he humbly approaches to bow down and offer praise to the Absolute Truth.

According to the ācāryas, the word sarvātmānam indicates that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supersoul, the giver of consciousness to all living beings. Kṛṣṇa confirms this in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15): mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca. “From Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.”

In his commentary Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī emphasizes that the Śiva-jvara has realized in many ways Lord Kṛṣṇa’s supremacy over his own master, Lord Śiva. Thus the Śiva-jvara addresses Kṛṣṇa as ananta-śakti, “possessor of unlimited potency”; pareśa, “the supreme controller”; and sarvātmā, “the Supersoul of all beings” — even of Lord Śiva.

The words kevalaṁ jñapti-mātram indicate that Lord Kṛṣṇa possesses pure omniscience. According to our limited understanding, we act in this world, but Lord Kṛṣṇa, with His unlimited understanding, performs infinite works of creation, maintenance and annihilation. As Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī points out, even the functions of the gross elements, such as air, depend on Him. The Taittirīya Upaniṣad (2.8.1) confirms this: bhīṣāsmād vātaḥ-pavate. “Out of fear of Him, the wind blows.” Thus Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate object of worship for all living beings.

Text 26

Devanagari

कालो दैवं कर्म जीव- स्वभावो
द्रव्यं क्षेत्रं प्राण आत्मा विकार- ।
तत्सङ्घातो बीजरोहप्रवाह-
स्त्वन्मायैषा तन्निषेधं प्रपद्ये ॥ २६ ॥

Verse text

kālo daivaṁ karma jīvaḥ svabhāvo
dravyaṁ kṣetraṁ prāṇa ātmā vikāraḥ
tat-saṅghāto bīja-roha-pravāhas
tvan-māyaiṣā tan-niṣedhaṁ prapadye

Synonyms

kālaḥ — time; daivam — destiny; karma — the reactions of material work; jīvaḥ — the individual living entity; svabhāvaḥ — his propensities; dravyam — the subtle forms of matter; kṣetram — the body; prāṇaḥ — the life air; ātmā — the false ego; vikāraḥ — the transformations (of the eleven senses); tat — of all this; saṅghāṭaḥ — the aggregate (as the subtle body); bīja — of seed; roha — and sprout; pravāhaḥ — the constant flow; tvat — Your; māyā — material illusory energy; eṣā — this; tat — of it; niṣedham — the negation (You); prapadye — I am approaching for shelter.

Translation

Time; fate; karma; the jīva and his propensities; the subtle material elements; the material body; the life air; false ego; the various senses; and the totality of these as reflected in the living being’s subtle body — all this constitutes your material illusory energy, māyā, an endless cycle like that of seed and plant. I take shelter of You, the negation of this māyā.

Purport

The word bīja-roha-pravāha is explained as follows: The conditioned soul accepts a material body, with which he attempts to enjoy the material world. That body is the seed (bīja) of future material existence because when a person acts with that body he creates further reactions (karma), which grow (roha) into the obligation to accept another material body. In other words, material life is a chain of actions and reactions. The simple decision to surrender to the Supreme Lord releases the conditioned soul from this futile repetition of material growth and reaction.

According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, the words tan-niṣedhaṁ prapadye indicate that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, is niṣedhāvadhi-bhūtam, “the limit of negation.” In other words, after all illusion is negated, the Absolute Truth remains.

The process of education may be succinctly described as a way of eradicating ignorance through the attainment of knowledge. Through inductive, deductive and intuitive means, we attempt to refute the specious, the illusory and the imperfect and elevate ourselves to a platform of full knowledge. Ultimately, when all illusion is negated, that which remains firmly in place is the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

In the previous text, the Śiva-jvara described the Supreme Lord as sarvātmānaṁ kevalaṁ jñapti-mātram, “pure, concentrated spiritual consciousness.” Now the Śiva-jvara concludes his philosophical description of the Lord by saying in this text that the various aspects of material existence are also potencies of the Supreme Lord.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī mentions that the Supreme Lord’s own body and senses, as implied here by the word tan-niṣedham, are nondifferent from the Lord’s pure spiritual existence. The Lord’s body and senses are not external to Him, nor do they cover Him, but rather the Lord is identical with His spiritual form and senses. The full Absolute Truth, unlimited in fascinating diversity, is Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Text 27

Devanagari

नानाभावैर्लीलयैवोपपन्नै-
र्देवान् साधून् लोकसेतून् बिभर्षि ।
हंस्युन्मार्गान् हिंसया वर्तमानान्
जन्मैतत्ते भारहाराय भूमे- ॥ २७ ॥

Verse text

nānā-bhāvair līlayaivopapannair
devān sādhūn loka-setūn bibharṣi
haṁsy unmārgān hiṁsayā vartamānān
janmaitat te bhāra-hārāya bhūmeḥ

Synonyms

nānā — various; bhāvaiḥ — with intentions; līlayā — as pastimes; eva — indeed; upapannaiḥ — assumed; devān — the demigods; sādhūn — the saintly sages; loka — of the world; setūn — the codes of religion; bibharṣi — You maintain; haṁsi — You kill; ut-mārgān — those who stray beyond the path; hiṁsayā — by violence; vartamānān — living; janma — birth; etat — this; te — Your; bhāra — the burden; hārāya — to relieve; bhūmeḥ — of the earth.

Translation

With various intentions, You perform pastimes to maintain the demigods, the saintly persons and the codes of religion for this world. By these pastimes You also kill those who stray from the right path and live by violence. Indeed, your present incarnation is meant to relieve the earth’s burden.

Purport

As Lord Kṛṣṇa states in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.29):

samo ’haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu
na me dveṣyo ’sti na priyaḥ
ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā
mayi te teṣu cāpy aham

“I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend — is in Me — and I am also a friend to him.”

The demigods and sages (devān sādhūn) are dedicated to executing the will of the Supreme Lord. The demigods act as cosmic administrators, and the sages, by their teachings and their good example, illumine the path of self-realization and holiness. But those who transgress the natural law, the law of God, and live by committing violence against others are vanquished by the Supreme Lord in His various pastime incarnations. As the Lord states in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.11), ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham. He is impartial, but He responds appropriately to the actions of the living beings.

Text 28

Devanagari

तप्तोऽहं ते तेजसा दु-सहेन
शान्तोग्रेणात्युल्बणेन ज्वरेण ।
तावत्तापो देहिनां तेऽङ्‍‍घ्रिमूलं
नो सेवेरन् यावदाशानुबद्धा- ॥ २८ ॥

Verse text

tapto ’ham te tejasā duḥsahena
śāntogreṇāty-ulbaṇena jvareṇa
tāvat tāpo dehināṁ te ’nghri-mūlaṁ
no severan yāvad āśānubaddhāḥ

Synonyms

taptaḥ — burned; aham — I; te — Your; tejasā — by the power; duḥsahena — insufferable; śānta — cold; ugreṇa — yet burning; ati — extremely; ulbaṇena — terrible; jvareṇa — fever; tāvat — for so long; tāpaḥ — the burning torment; dehinām — of embodied souls; te — Your; aṅghri — of the feet; mūlam — the sole; na — do not; u — indeed; severan — serve; yāvat — as long as; āśā — in material desires; anubaddhāḥ — continuously bound.

Translation

I am tortured by the fierce power of Your terrible fever weapon, which is cold yet burning. All embodied souls must suffer as long as they remain bound to material ambitions and thus averse to serving Your feet.

Purport

In the previous verse, the Śiva-jvara stated that those who live by violence will suffer similar violence at the hands of the Lord. But here he further states that those who do not surrender to the Supreme Lord are especially liable to punishment. Although the Śiva-jvara himself had acted violently up till now, since he has surrendered to the Lord and rectified himself, he hopes to receive the Lord’s mercy. In other words, he has now become the Lord’s devotee.

Text 29

Devanagari

श्रीभगवानुवाच
त्रिशिरस्ते प्रसन्नोऽस्मि व्येतु ते मज्ज्वराद् भयम् ।
यो नौ स्मरति संवादं तस्य त्वन्न भवेद् भयम् ॥ २९ ॥

Verse text

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
tri-śiras te prasanno ’smi
vyetu te maj-jvarād bhayam
yo nau smarati saṁvādaṁ
tasya tvan na bhaved bhayam

Synonyms

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Lord said; tri-śiraḥ — O three-headed one; te — with you; prasannaḥ — satisfied; asmi — I am; vyetu — may it go away; te — your; mat — My; jvarāt — of the fever weapon; bhayam — fear; yaḥ — whoever; nau — our; smarati — remembers; saṁvādam — the conversation; tasya — for him; tvat — of you; na bhavet — there will not be; bhayam — fear.

Translation

The Supreme Lord said: O three-headed one, I am pleased with you. May your fear of My fever weapon be dispelled, and may whoever remembers our conversation here have no reason to fear you.

Purport

Here the Lord accepts the Śiva-jvara as His devotee and gives him his first order — that he should never frighten, by hot fever, those who faithfully hear this pastime of the Lord’s.

Text 30

Devanagari

इत्युक्तोऽच्युतमानम्य गतो माहेश्वरो ज्वर- ।
बाणस्तु रथमारूढ- प्रागाद्योत्स्यन् जनार्दनम् ॥ ३० ॥

Verse text

ity ukto ’cyutam ānamya
gato māheśvaro jvaraḥ
bāṇas tu ratham ārūḍhaḥ
prāgād yotsyan janārdanam

Synonyms

iti — thus; uktaḥ — addressed; acyutam — to Kṛṣṇa, the infallible Supreme Lord; ānamya — bowing down; gataḥ — went; māheśvaraḥ — of Lord Śiva; jvaraḥ — the fever weapon; bāṇaḥ — Bāṇāsura; tu — but; ratham — his chariot; ārūḍhaḥ — riding; prāgāt — came forward; yotsyan — intending to fight; janārdanam — Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Translation

Thus addressed, the Māheśvara-jvara bowed down to the infallible Lord and went away. But Bāṇāsura then appeared, riding forth on his chariot to fight Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Text 31

Devanagari

ततो बाहुसहस्रेण नानायुधधरोऽसुर- ।
मुमोच परमक्रुद्धो बाणांश्चक्रायुधे नृप ॥ ३१ ॥

Verse text

tato bāhu-sahasreṇa
nānāyudha-dharo ’suraḥ
mumoca parama-kruddho
bāṇāṁś cakrāyudhe nṛpa

Synonyms

tataḥ — thereupon; bāhu — with his arms; sahasreṇa — one thousand; nānā — numerous; āyudha — weapons; dharaḥ — carrying; asuraḥ — the demon; mumoca — released; parama — supremely; kruddhaḥ — angry; bāṇān — arrows; cakra-āyudhe — at Him whose weapon is the disc; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit).

Translation

Carrying numerous weapons in his thousand hands, O King, the terribly infuriated demon shot many arrows at Lord Kṛṣṇa, the carrier of the disc weapon.

Text 32

Devanagari

तस्यास्यतोऽस्‍त्राण्यसकृच्चक्रेण क्षुरनेमिना ।
चिच्छेद भगवान् बाहून् शाखा इव वनस्पते- ॥ ३२ ॥

Verse text

tasyāsyato ’strāṇy asakṛc
cakreṇa kṣura-neminā
ciccheda bhagavān bāhūn
śākhā iva vanaspateḥ

Synonyms

tasya — of him; asyataḥ — who was throwing; astrāṇi — weapons; asakṛt — repeatedly; cakreṇa — with His disc; kṣura — razor-sharp; neminā — whose circumference; ciccheda — cut off; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; bāhūn — the arms; śākhāḥ — branches; iva — as if; vanaspateḥ — of a tree.

Translation

As Bāṇa continued hurling weapons at Him, the Supreme Lord began using His razor-sharp cakra to cut off Bāṇāsura’s arms as if they were tree branches.

Text 33

Devanagari

बाहुषु छिद्यमानेषु बाणस्य भगवान् भव- ।
भक्तानुकम्प्युपव्रज्य चक्रायुधमभाषत ॥ ३३ ॥

Verse text

bāhuṣu chidyamāneṣu
bāṇasya bhagavān bhavaḥ
bhaktānakampy upavrajya
cakrāyudham abhāṣata

Synonyms

bāhuṣu — the arms; chidyamāneṣu — as they were being severed; bāṇasya — of Bāṇāsura; bhagavān bhavaḥ — the great Lord Śiva; bhakta — toward his devotee; anukampī — compassionate; upavrajya — approaching; cakra-āyudham — to Lord Kṛṣṇa, wielder of the disc weapon; abhāṣata — he spoke.

Translation

Lord Śiva felt compassion for his devotee Bāṇāsura, whose arms were being cut off, and thus he approached Lord Cakrāyudha [Kṛṣṇa] and spoke to Him as follows.

Text 34

Devanagari

श्रीरुद्र उवाच
त्वं हि ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिर्गूढं ब्रह्मणि वाङ्‍मये ।
यं पश्यन्त्यमलात्मान आकाशमिव केवलम् ॥ ३४ ॥

Verse text

śrī-rudra uvāca
tvaṁ hi brahma paraṁ jyotir
gūḍhaṁ brahmaṇi vāṅ-maye
yaṁ paśyanty amalātmāna
ākāśam iva kevalam

Synonyms

śrī-rudraḥ uvāca — Lord Śiva said; tvam — You; hi — alone; brahma — the Absolute Truth; param — supreme; jyotiḥ — light; gūḍham — hidden; brahmaṇi — in the Absolute; vāk-maye — in its form of language (the Vedas); yam — whom; paśyanti — they see; amala — spotless; ātmānaḥ — whose hearts; ākāśam — the sky; iva — like; kevalam — pure.

Translation

Śrī Rudra said: You alone are the Absolute Truth, the supreme light, the mystery hidden within the verbal manifestation of the Absolute. Those whose hearts are spotless can see You, for You are uncontaminated, like the sky.

Purport

The Absolute Truth is the source of all light and is therefore the supreme light, self-luminous. This Absolute Truth is explained confidentially in the Vedas and is therefore difficult for an ordinary reader to understand. The following statements quoted by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī from the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad show how the Vedic sounds occasionally reveal the Absolute: Te hocur upāsanam etasya parātmano govindasyākhilādhāriṇo brūhi (Pūrva-khaṇḍa 17): “They \the four Kumāras] said [to Brahmā], ‘Please tell us how to worship Govinda, the Supreme Soul and the foundation of all that exists.’” Cetanaś cetanānām (Pūrva-khaṇḍa 21): “He is the chief of all living beings.” And taṁ ha devam ātma-vṛtti-prakāśam (Pūrva-khaṇḍa 23): “One realizes that Supreme Godhead by first realizing one’s own self.” The great ācārya Jīva Gosvāmī also quotes a verse from the [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.10.48) — gūḍhaṁ paraṁ brahma manuṣya-liṅgam — which refers to “the Supreme Truth concealed in a humanlike form.”

Since the Lord is pure, why do some people perceive Kṛṣṇa’s form and activities as impure? Ācārya Jīva explains that those whose own hearts are impure cannot understand the pure Lord. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī further quotes the Lord’s own instruction to Arjuna in Śrī Hari-vaṁśa:

tat-paraṁ paramaṁ brahma
sarvaṁ vibhajate jagat
mamaiva tad ghanaṁ tejo
jñātum arhasi bhārata

“Superior to that [total material nature] is the Supreme Brahman, from which this entire creation expands. O descendant of Bharata, you should know that the Supreme Brahman consists of My concentrated effulgence.”

Thus, to save his devotee, Śiva now glorifies the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, his eternal worshipable master. The Lord’s bewildering potency induced Śiva to fight with Lord Kṛṣṇa, but now the fight is over, and to save his devotee Lord Śiva offers these beautiful prayers.

Texts 35-36

Devanagari

नाभिर्नभोऽग्निर्मुखमम्बु रेतो
द्यौ- शीर्षमाशा- श्रुतिरङ्‍‍घ्रिरुर्वी ।
चन्द्रो मनो यस्य द‍ृगर्क आत्मा
अहं समुद्रो जठरं भुजेन्द्र- ॥ ३५ ॥
रोमाणि यस्यौषधयोऽम्बुवाहा-
केशा विरिञ्चो धिषणा विसर्ग- ।
प्रजापतिर्हृदयं यस्य धर्म-
स वै भवान् पुरुषो लोककल्प- ॥ ३६ ॥

Verse text

nābhir nabho ’gnir mukham ambu reto
dyauḥ śīrṣam āśāḥ śrutir aṅghrir urvī
candro mano yasya dṛg arka ātmā
ahaṁ samudro jaṭharaṁ bhujendraḥ

romāṇi yasyauṣadhayo ’mbu-vāhāḥ
keśā viriñco dhiṣaṇā visargaḥ
prajā-patir hṛdayaṁ yasya dharmaḥ
sa vai bhavān puruṣo loka-kalpaḥ

Synonyms

nābhiḥ — the navel; nabhaḥ — the sky; agniḥ — fire; mukham — the face; ambu — water; retaḥ — the semen; dyauḥ — heaven; śīrṣam — the head; āśāḥ — the directions; śrutiḥ — the sense of hearing; aṅghriḥ — the foot; urvī — the earth; candraḥ — the moon; manaḥ — the mind; yasya — whose; dṛk — sight; arkaḥ — the sun; ātmā — self-awareness; aham — I (Śiva); samudraḥ — the ocean; jaṭharam — the abdomen; bhuja — the arm; indraḥ — Indra; romāṇi — the hairs on the body; yasya — whose; oṣadhayaḥ — herbal plants; ambu-vāhāḥ — water-bearing clouds; keśāḥ — the hairs on the head; viriñcaḥ — Lord Brahmā; dhiṣaṇā — the discriminating intelligence; visargaḥ — the genitals; prajā-patiḥ — the progenitor of mankind; hṛdayam — the heart; yasya — whose; dharmaḥ — religion; saḥ — He; vai — indeed; bhavān — Your good self; puruṣaḥ — the primeval creator; loka — the worlds; kalpaḥ — produced from whom.

Translation

The sky is Your navel, fire Your face, water Your semen, and heaven Your head. The cardinal directions are Your sense of hearing, herbal plants the hairs on Your body, and water-bearing clouds the hair on Your head. The earth is Your foot, the moon Your mind, and the sun Your vision, while I am Your ego. The ocean is Your abdomen, Indra Your arm, Lord Brahmā Your intelligence, the progenitor of mankind Your genitals, and religion Your heart. You are indeed the original puruṣa, creator of the worlds.

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that just as the tiny bugs living inside a fruit cannot comprehend the fruit, so we tiny living beings cannot understand the Supreme Absolute Truth, in whom we exist. It is difficult to understand the cosmic manifestation of the Lord, what to speak of His transcendental form as Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we should surrender in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and the Lord Himself will help us understand.

Text 37

Devanagari

तवावतारोऽयमकुण्ठधामन्
धर्मस्य गुप्‍त्‍यै जगतो हिताय ।
वयं च सर्वे भवतानुभाविता
विभावयामो भुवनानि सप्त ॥ ३७ ॥

Verse text

tavāvatāro ’yam akuṇṭha-dhāman
dharmasya guptyai jagato hitāya
vayaṁ ca sarve bhavatānubhāvitā
vibhāvayāmo bhuvanāni sapta

Synonyms

tava — Your; avatāraḥ — descent; ayam — this; akuṇṭha — unrestricted; dhāman — O You whose power; dharmasya — of justice; guptyai — for the protection; jagataḥ — of the universe; hitāya — for the benefit; vayam — we; ca — also; sarve — all; bhavatā — by You; anubhāvitāḥ — enlightened and authorized; vibhāvayāmaḥ — we manifest and develop; bhuvanāni — the worlds; sapta — seven.

Translation

Your current descent into the material realm, O Lord of unrestricted power, is meant for upholding the principles of justice and benefiting the entire universe. We demigods, each depending on Your grace and authority, develop the seven planetary systems.

Purport

As Lord Śiva glorifies Lord Kṛṣṇa doubt may arise, since, apparently, Lord Kṛṣṇa is standing before Lord Śiva as a historical personality with a humanlike body. However, it is out of the Lord’s causeless mercy that He appears to us in a form visible to our mundane eyes. If we want to understand the Absolute Truth, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, we must hear from recognized authorities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, such as Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā, or from Lord Śiva, a recognized Vaiṣṇava authority, who here glorifies the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Text 38

Devanagari

त्वमेक आद्य- पुरुषोऽद्वितीय-
स्तुर्य- स्वद‍ृग् धेतुरहेतुरीश- ।
प्रतीयसेऽथापि यथाविकारं
स्वमायया सर्वगुणप्रसिद्ध्यै ॥ ३८ ॥

Verse text

tvam eka ādyaḥ puruṣo ’dvitīyas
turyaḥ sva-dṛg dhetur ahetur īśaḥ
pratīyase ’thāpi yathā-vikāraṁ
sva-māyayā sarva-guṇa-prasiddhyai

Synonyms

tvam — You; ekaḥ — one; ādyaḥ — original; puruṣaḥ — Supreme Person; advitīyaḥ — without a second; turyaḥ — transcendental; sva-dṛk — self-manifesting; hetuḥ — the cause; ahetuḥ — having no cause; īśaḥ — the supreme controller; pratīyase — You are perceived; atha api — nonetheless; yathā — according to; vikāram — various transformations; sva — by Your own; māyayā — illusory potency; sarva — of all; guṇa — material qualities; prasiddhyai — for the complete manifestation.

Translation

You are the original person, one without a second, transcendental and self-manifesting. Uncaused, you are the cause of all, and You are the ultimate controller. You are nonetheless perceived in terms of the transformations of matter effected by Your illusory energy — transformations You sanction so that the various material qualities can fully manifest.

Purport

The ācāryas comment as follows on this verse: Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that the term ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ, “the original puruṣa,” indicates that Lord Kṛṣṇa expands Himself as Mahā-Viṣṇu, the first of the three puruṣas who take charge of cosmic manifestation. The Lord is eka advitīyaḥ, “one without a second,” because there is no one equal to the Lord or different from Him. No one is completely equal to the Supreme Godhead, and yet because all the living beings are expansions of the potency of the Godhead, no one is qualitatively different from Him. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu nicely explains this inconceivable situation by stating that the Absolute Truth and the living beings are qualitatively one but quantitatively different. The Absolute possesses infinite spiritual consciousness, whereas the living beings possess infinitesimal consciousness, which is subject to being covered by illusion.

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, commenting on the term ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ, quotes from the Sātvata-tantra: viṣṇos tu trīṇi rūpāṇi. “There are three forms of Viṣṇu [for cosmic manifestation, etc.].” Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī also quotes a statement of the Lord’s from śruti: pūrvam evāham ihāsam. “In the beginning I alone existed in this world.” This statement describes the form of the Lord called the puruṣa-avatāra, who exists before the cosmic manifestation. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī also quotes the following śruti-mantra: tat-puruṣasya puruṣatvam, which means “Such constitutes the Lord’s status as puruṣa.” Actually, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the essence of the puruṣa incarnation because He is turīya, as described in the present verse. Jīva Gosvāmī explains the term turīya (literally “the fourth”) by quoting Śrīdhara Svāmī’s commentary to the Bhāgavatam verse 11.15.16:

virāṭ hiraṇyagarbhaś ca
kāraṇaṁ cety upādhayaḥ
īśasya yat tribhir hīnaṁ
turīyaṁ tad vidur budhāḥ

“The Lord’s universal form, His Hiraṇyagarbha form and the primeval causal manifestation of material nature are all relative conceptions, but because the Lord Himself is not covered by these three, intelligent authorities call Him ‘the fourth.’”

According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, the word turīya indicates that the Lord is the fourth member of the quadruple expansion of Godhead called the Catur-vyūha. In other words, Lord Kṛṣṇa is Vāsudeva.

Lord Kṛṣṇa is sva-dṛk — that is, He alone can perceive Himself perfectly — because He is infinite spiritual existence, infinitely pure. He is hetu, the cause of everything, and yet He is ahetu, without cause. Therefore He is īśa, the supreme controller.

The last two lines of this verse are of special philosophical significance. Why is the Lord perceived differently by different persons, although He is one? A partial explanation is given here. By the agency of Māyā, the Lord’s external potency, material nature is in a constant state of transformation, vikāra. In one sense, then, material nature is “unreal,” asat. But because God is the supreme reality, and because He is present within all things and all things are His potency, material objects and energies possess a degree of reality. Therefore some people see one aspect of material energy and think, “This is reality,” while other people see a different aspect of material energy and think, “No, that is reality.” Being conditioned souls, we are covered by different configurations of material nature, and thus we describe the Supreme Truth or the Supreme Lord in terms of our corrupted vision. Yet even the covering qualities of material nature, such as our conditioned intelligence, mind and senses, are real (being the potency of the Supreme Lord), and therefore through all things we can perceive, in a more or less subjective way, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is why the present verse states, pratīyase: “You are perceived.” Furthermore, without the manifestation of material nature’s covering qualities, the creation could not fulfill its purpose — namely, to allow the conditioned souls to make their best attempt to enjoy without God so that they will finally understand the futility of such an illusory notion.

Text 39

Devanagari

यथैव सूर्य- पिहितश्छायया स्वया
छायां च रूपाणि च सञ्चकास्ति ।
एवं गुणेनापिहितो गुणांस्त्व-
मात्मप्रदीपो गुणिनश्च भूमन् ॥ ३९ ॥

Verse text

yathaiva sūryaḥ pihitaś chāyayā svayā
chāyāṁ ca rūpāṇi ca sañcakāsti
evaṁ guṇenāpihito guṇāṁs tvam
ātma-pradīpo guṇinaś ca bhūman

Synonyms

yathā eva — just as; sūryaḥ — the sun; pihitaḥ — covered; chāyayā — by the shade; svayā — its own; chāyām — the shade; ca — and; rūpāṇi — visible forms; ca — also; sañcakāsti — illuminates; evam — similarly; guṇena — by the material quality (of false ego); apihitaḥ — covered; guṇān — the qualities of matter; tvam — You; ātma-pradīpaḥ — self-luminous; guṇinaḥ — the possessors of these qualities (the living entities); ca — and; bhūman — O almighty one.

Translation

O almighty one, just as the sun, though hidden by a cloud, illuminates the cloud and all other visible forms as well, so You, although hidden by the material qualities, remain self-luminous and thus reveal all those qualities, along with the living entities who possess them.

Purport

Here Lord Śiva further clarifies the idea expressed in the final two lines of the previous verse. The analogy of the clouds and the sun is appropriate. With its energy the sun creates clouds, which cover our vision of the sun. Yet it is the sun that allows us to see the clouds and all other things as well. Similarly, the Lord expands His illusory potency and thus prevents us from directly seeing Him. Yet it is God alone who reveals to us His covering potency — namely, the material world — and thus the Lord is ātma-pradīpa, “self-luminous.” It is the reality of His existence that makes all things visible.

Text 40

Devanagari

यन्मायामोहितधिय- पुत्रदारगृहादिषु ।
उन्मज्जन्ति निमज्जन्ति प्रसक्ता वृजिनार्णवे ॥ ४० ॥

Verse text

yan-māyā-mohita-dhiyaḥ
putra-dāra-gṛhādiṣu
unmajjanti nimajjanti
prasaktā vṛjinārṇave

Synonyms

yat — of whom; māyā — by the illusory energy; mohita — bewildered; dhiyaḥ — their intelligence; putra — with regard to children; dāra — wife; gṛha — home; ādiṣu — and so on; unmajjanti — they rise to the surface; nimajjanti — they become submerged; prasaktāḥ — fully entangled; vṛjina — of misery; arṇave — in the ocean.

Translation

Their intelligence bewildered by Your māyā, fully attached to children, wife, home and so on, persons immersed in the ocean of material misery sometimes rise to the surface and sometimes sink down.

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that “rising in the ocean of misery” indicates elevation to higher species, such as demigods, and that “being submerged” refers to degradation to lower species — even to immobile forms of life such as trees. As stated in the Vāyu Purāṇa, viparyayaś ca bhavati brahmatva-sthāvaratvayoḥ: “The living being rotates between the position of Brahmā and that of an unmoving creature.”

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī points out that Śiva, having glorified the Lord, now pursues his original intention of securing the Lord’s grace for Bāṇāsura. Thus in this and the following four verses, Lord Śiva instructs Bāṇa on his actual position in relation to the Lord. Śiva’s appeal to the Lord for compassion toward Bāṇa appears in text 45.

Text 41

Devanagari

देवदत्तमिमं लब्ध्वा नृलोकमजितेन्द्रिय- ।
यो नाद्रियेत त्वत्पादौ स शोच्यो ह्यात्मवञ्चक- ॥ ४१ ॥

Verse text

deva-dattam imaṁ labdhvā
nṛ-lokam ajitendriyaḥ
yo nādriyeta tvat-pādau
sa śocyo hy ātma-vañcakaḥ

Synonyms

deva — by the Supreme Lord; dattam — given; imam — this; labdhvā — attaining; nṛ — of human beings; lokam — the world; ajita — uncontrolled; indriyaḥ — his senses; yaḥ — who; na ādriyeta — will not honor; tvat — Your; pādau — feet; saḥ — he; śocyaḥ — pitiable; hi — indeed; ātma — of himself; vañcakaḥ — a cheater.

Translation

One who has attained this human form of life as a gift from God, yet who fails to control his senses and honor Your feet, is surely to be pitied, for he is only cheating himself.

Purport

Lord Śiva here condemns those who refuse to engage in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord.

Text 42

Devanagari

यस्त्वां विसृजते मर्त्य आत्मानं प्रियमीश्वरम् ।
विपर्ययेन्द्रियार्थार्थं विषमत्त्यमृतं त्यजन् ॥ ४२ ॥

Verse text

yas tvāṁ visṛjate martya
ātmānaṁ priyam īśvaram
viparyayendriyārthārthaṁ
viṣam atty amṛtaṁ tyajan

Synonyms

yaḥ — who; tvām — You; visṛjate — rejects; martyaḥ — mortal man; ātmānam — his true Self; priyam — dearmost; īśvaram — Lord; viparyaya — which are just the opposite; indriya-artha — of sense objects; artham — for the sake; viṣam — poison; atti — he eats; amṛtam — nectar; tyajan — avoiding.

Translation

That mortal who rejects You — his true Self, dearmost friend, and Lord — for the sake of sense objects, whose nature is just the opposite, refuses nectar and instead consumes poison.

Purport

The person described above is pitiable because he rejects that which is actually dear, the Lord, and accepts that which is not dear and is ungodly: temporary sense gratification, which leads to suffering and bewilderment.

Text 43

Devanagari

अहं ब्रह्माथ विबुधा मुनयश्चामलाशया- ।
सर्वात्मना प्रपन्नास्त्वामात्मानं प्रेष्ठमीश्वरम् ॥ ४३ ॥

Verse text

ahaṁ brahmātha vibudhā
munayaś cāmalāśayāḥ
sarvātmanā prapannās tvām
ātmānaṁ preṣṭham īśvaram

Synonyms

aham — I; brahmā — Brahmā; atha — and also; vibudhāḥ — the demigods; munayaḥ — the sages; ca — and; amala — pure; āśayāḥ — whose consciousness; sarva-ātmanā — wholeheartedly; prapannāḥ — surrendered; tvām — unto You; ātmānam — the Self; preṣṭham — the dearmost; īśvaram — the Lord.

Translation

I, Lord Brahmā, the other demigods and the pure-minded sages have all surrendered wholeheartedly unto You, our dearmost Self and Lord.

Text 44

Devanagari

तं त्वा जगत्स्थित्युदयान्तहेतुं
समं प्रशान्तं सुहृदात्मदैवम् ।
अनन्यमेकं जगदात्मकेतं
भवापवर्गाय भजाम देवम् ॥ ४४ ॥

Verse text

taṁ tvā jagat-sthity-udayānta-hetuṁ
samaṁ prasāntaṁ suhṛd-ātma-daivam
ananyam ekaṁ jagad-ātma-ketaṁ
bhavāpavargāya bhajāma devam

Synonyms

tam — Him; tvā — You; jagat — of the universe; sthiti — of the maintenance; udaya — the rise; anta — and the demise; hetum — the cause; samam — equipoised; praśāntam — perfectly at peace; suhṛt — the friend; ātma — Self; daivam — and worshipable Lord; ananyam — without a second; ekam — unique; jagat — of all the worlds; ātma — and all souls; ketam — the shelter; bhava — of material life; apavargāya — for the cessation; bhajāma — let us worship; devam — the Supreme Lord.

Translation

Let us worship You, the Supreme Lord, to be freed from material life. You are the maintainer of the universe and the cause of its creation and demise. Equipoised and perfectly at peace, You are the true friend, Self and worshipable Lord. You are one without a second, the shelter of all the worlds and all souls.

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī states that the Lord is a true friend because He sets one’s proper intelligence into motion if one desires to know the truth about God and the soul. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī and Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī both emphasize that the term bhavāpavargāya indicates the highest liberation of pure love of Godhead, characterized by unalloyed devotional service unto the Lord.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī also explains that the Supreme Lord is samam, “perfectly objective and balanced,” whereas other living beings, having an incomplete grasp of reality, cannot be perfectly objective. Those who surrender unto the Lord also become fully objective by taking shelter of His supreme consciousness.

Text 45

Devanagari

अयं ममेष्टो दयितोऽनुवर्ती
मयाभयं दत्तममुष्य देव ।
सम्पाद्यतां तद् भवत- प्रसादो
यथा हि ते दैत्यपतौ प्रसाद- ॥ ४५ ॥

Verse text

ayaṁ mameṣṭo dayito ’nuvartī
mayābhayaṁ dattam amuṣya deva
sampādyatāṁ tad bhavataḥ prasādo
yathā hi te daitya-patau prasādaḥ

Synonyms

ayam — this; mama — my; iṣṭaḥ — favored; dayitaḥ — very dear; anuvartī — follower; mayā — by me; abhayam — fearlessness; dattam — given; amuṣya — his; deva — O Lord; sampādyatām — please let it be granted; tat — therefore; bhavataḥ — Your; prasādaḥ — grace; yathā — as; hi — indeed; te — Your; daitya — of the demons; patau — for the chief (Prahlāda); prasādaḥ — grace.

Translation

This Bāṇāsura is my dear and faithful follower, and I have awarded him freedom from fear. Therefore, my Lord, please grant him Your mercy, just as You showed mercy to Prahlāda, the lord of the demons.

Purport

Lord Śiva feels inclined to help Bāṇāsura because the demon showed great devotion to Lord Śiva when he provided musical accompaniment for Śiva’s tāṇḍava dance. Another reason Bāṇa is an object of Lord Śiva’s favor is that he is a descendant of the great devotees Prahlāda and Bali.

Text 46

Devanagari

श्रीभगवानुवाच
यदात्थ भगवंस्त्वं न- करवाम प्रियं तव ।
भवतो यद् व्यवसितं तन्मे साध्वनुमोदितम् ॥ ४६ ॥

Verse text

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
yad āttha bhagavaṁs tvaṁ naḥ
karavāma priyaṁ tava
bhavato yad vyavasitaṁ
tan me sādhv anumoditam

Synonyms

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Lord said; yat — what; āttha — have spoken; bhagavan — O lord; tvam — you; naḥ — to Us; karavāma — We should do; priyam — the gratifying; tava — of you; bhavataḥ — by you; yat — what; vyavasitam — determined; tat — that; me — by Me; sādhu — well; anumoditam — agreed with.

Translation

The Supreme Lord said: My dear lord, for your pleasure We must certainly do what you have requested of Us. I fully agree with your conclusion.

Purport

We should not think it strange that the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, here addresses Lord Śiva as bhagavan, “lord.” All living beings are part and parcel of the Lord, qualitatively one with Him, and Lord Śiva is an especially powerful, pure entity who possesses many of the Supreme Lord’s qualities. Just as a father is happy to share his riches with a beloved son, so the Supreme Lord happily invests pure living beings with some of His potency and opulence. And just as a father proudly and happily observes the good qualities of his children, the Lord is most happy to glorify the pure living beings who are powerful in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus the Supreme Lord is pleased to glorify Lord Śiva by addressing him as bhagavān.

Text 47

Devanagari

अवध्योऽयं ममाप्येष वैरोचनिसुतोऽसुर- ।
प्रह्रादाय वरो दत्तो न वध्यो मे तवान्वय- ॥ ४७ ॥

Verse text

avadhyo ’yaṁ mamāpy eṣa
vairocani-suto ’suraḥ
prahrādāya varo datto
na vadhyo me tavānvayaḥ

Synonyms

avadhyaḥ — not to be killed; ayam — he; mama — by Me; api — indeed; eṣaḥ — this; vairocani-sutaḥ — son of Vairocani (Bali); asuraḥ — demon; prahrādāya — to Prahlāda; varaḥ — the benediction; dattaḥ — given; na vadhyaḥ — not to be killed; me — by Me; tava — your; anvayaḥ — descendants.

Translation

I will not kill this demonic son of Vairocani, for I gave Prahlāda Mahārāja the benediction that I would not kill any of his descendants.

Text 48

Devanagari

दर्पोपशमनायास्य प्रवृक्णा बाहवो मया ।
सूदितं च बलं भूरि यच्च भारायितं भुव- ॥ ४८ ॥

Verse text

darpopaśamanāyāsya
pravṛkṇā bāhavo mayā
sūditaṁ ca balaṁ bhūri
yac ca bhārāyitaṁ bhuvaḥ

Synonyms

darpa — the false pride; upaśamanāya — for subduing; asya — his; pravṛkṇāḥ — severed; bāhavaḥ — arms; mayā — by Me; sūditam — slain; ca — and; balam — the military force; bhūri — huge; yat — which; ca — and; bhārāyitam — having become a burden; bhuvaḥ — for the earth.

Translation

It was to subdue Bāṇāsura’s false pride that I severed his arms. And I slew his mighty army because it had become a burden upon the earth.

Text 49

Devanagari

चत्वारोऽस्य भुजा- शिष्टा भविष्यत्यजरामर- ।
पार्षदमुख्यो भवतो न कुतश्चिद्भ‍योऽसुर- ॥ ४९ ॥

Verse text

catvāro ’sya bhujāḥ śiṣṭā
bhaviṣyaty ajarāmaraḥ
pārṣada-mukhyo bhavato
na kutaścid-bhayo ’suraḥ

Synonyms

catvāraḥ — four; asya — his; bhujāḥ — arms; śiṣṭāḥ — remaining; bhaviṣyati — will be; ajara — unaging; amaraḥ — and immortal; pārṣada — an associate; mukhyaḥ — principal; bhavataḥ — of yourself; na kutaścit-bhayaḥ — having no fear on any account; asuraḥ — the demon.

Translation

This demon, who still has four arms, will be immune to old age and death, and he will serve as one of your principal attendants. Thus he will have nothing to fear on any account.

Text 50

Devanagari

इति लब्ध्वाभयं कृष्णं प्रणम्य शिरसासुर- ।
प्राद्युम्निं रथमारोप्य सवध्वो समुपानयत् ॥ ५० ॥

Verse text

iti labdhvābhayaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ
praṇamya śirasāsuraḥ
prādyumniṁ ratham āropya
sa-vadhvo samupānayat

Synonyms

iti — thus; labdhvā — attaining; abhayam — freedom from fear; kṛṣṇam — to Lord Kṛṣṇa; praṇamya — bowing down; śirasā — with his head; asuraḥ — the demon; pradyumnim — Aniruddha, the son of Pradyumna; ratham — on His chariot; āropya — placing; sa-vadhvaḥ — with His wife; samupānayat — he brought them forward.

Translation

Thus attaining freedom from fear, Bāṇāsura offered obeisances to Lord Kṛṣṇa by touching his head to the ground. Bāṇa then seated Aniruddha and His bride on their chariot and brought them before the Lord.

Text 51

Devanagari

अक्षौहिण्या परिवृतं सुवास-समलङ्कृतम् ।
सपत्नीकं पुरस्कृत्य ययौ रुद्रानुमोदित- ॥ ५१ ॥

Verse text

akṣauhiṇyā parivṛtaṁ
su-vāsaḥ-samalaṅkṛtam
sa-patnīkaṁ puras-kṛtya
yayau rudrānumoditaḥ

Synonyms

akṣauhiṇyā — by a full military division; parivṛtam — surrounded; su — fine; vāsaḥ — whose clothing; samalaṅkṛtam — and adorned with ornaments; sa-patnīkam — Aniruddha with His wife; puraḥ-kṛtya — putting in front; yayau — He (Lord Kṛṣṇa) went; rudra — by Lord Śiva; anumoditaḥ — given leave.

Translation

At the front of the party Lord Kṛṣṇa then placed Aniruddha and His bride, both beautifully adorned with fine clothes and ornaments, and surrounded them with a full military division. Thus Lord Kṛṣṇa took His leave of Lord Śiva and departed.

Text 52

Devanagari

स्वराजधानीं समलङ्‍कृतां ध्वजै-
सतोरणैरुक्षितमार्गचत्वराम् ।
विवेश शङ्खानकदुन्दुभिस्वनै-
रभ्युद्यत- पौरसुहृद्‌‌द्विजातिभि- ॥ ५२ ॥

Verse text

sva-rājadhānīṁ samalaṅkṛtāṁ dhvajaiḥ
sa-toraṇair ukṣita-mārga-catvarām
viveśa śaṅkhānaka-dundubhi-svanair
abhyudyataḥ paura-suhṛd-dvijātibhiḥ

Synonyms

sva — His own; rājadhānīm — capital; samalaṅkṛtām — fully decorated; dhvajaiḥ — with flags; sa — and with; toraṇaiḥ — victory arches; ukṣita — sprinkled with water; mārga — whose avenues; catvarām — and crossroads; viveśa — He entered; śaṅkha — of conchshells; ānaka — side drums; dundubhi — and kettledrums; svanaiḥ — with the resounding; abhyudyataḥ — greeted respectfully; paura — by the people of the city; suhṛt — by His relatives; dvijātibhiḥ — and by the brāhmaṇas..

Translation

The Lord then entered His capital. The city was lavishly decorated with flags and victory arches, and its avenues and crossways were all sprinkled with water. As conchshells, ānakas and dundubhi drums resounded, the Lord’s relatives, the brāhmaṇas and the general populace all came forward to greet Him respectfully.

Text 53

Devanagari

य एवं कृष्णविजयं शङ्करेण च संयुगम् ।
संस्मरेत् प्रातरुत्थाय न तस्य स्यात् पराजय- ॥ ५३ ॥

Verse text

ya evaṁ kṛṣṇa-vijayaṁ
śaṅkareṇa ca saṁyugam
saṁsmaret prātar utthāya
na tasya syāt parājayaḥ

Synonyms

yaḥ — whoever; evam — thus; kṛṣṇa-vijayam — the victory of Lord Kṛṣṇa; śaṅkareṇa — with Lord Śaṅkara; ca — and; saṁyugam — battle; saṁsmaret — remembers; prātaḥ — at dawn; utthāya — rising from sleep; na — not; tasya — for him; syāt — there will be; parājayaḥ — defeat.

Translation

Whoever rises early in the morning and remembers Lord Kṛṣṇa’s victory in His battle with Lord Śiva will never experience defeat.

Purport

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Sixty-third Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Lord Kṛṣṇa Fights with Bāṇāsura.”