Śrīmad Bhāgavatam|Canto 10 Chapter 10

The Deliverance of the Yamala-arjuna Trees

VERSE 10.10.1

śrī-rājovāca

kathyatāṁ bhagavann etat
tayoḥ śāpasya kāraṇam
yat tad vigarhitaṁ karma
yena vā devarṣes tamaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-rājā uvāca — the King further inquired; kathyatām — please describe; bhagavan — O supremely powerful one; etat — this; tayoḥ — of both of them; śāpasya — of cursing; kāraṇam — the cause; yat — which; tat — that; vigarhitam — abominable; karma — act; yena — by which; — either; devarṣeḥ tamaḥ — the great sage Nārada became so angry.

TRANSLATION

King Parīkṣit inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī: O great and powerful saint, what was the cause of Nalakūvara’s and Maṇigrīva’s having been cursed by Nārada Muni? What did they do that was so abominable that even Nārada, the great sage, became angry at them? Kindly describe this to me.

VERSE 10.10.2-3

śrī-śuka uvāca

rudrasyānucarau bhūtvā
sudṛptau dhanadātmajau
kailāsopavane ramye
mandākinyāṁ madotkaṭau

vāruṇīṁ madirāṁ pītvā
madāghūrṇita-locanau
strī-janair anugāyadbhiś
ceratuḥ puṣpite vane

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied; rudrasya — of Lord Śiva; anucarau — two great devotees or associates; bhūtvā — being elevated to that post; su-dṛptau — being proud of that position and their beautiful bodily features; dhanada-ātmajau — the two sons of Kuvera, treasurer of the demigods; kailāsa-upavane — in a small garden attached to Kailāsa Parvata, the residence of Lord Śiva; ramye — in a very beautiful place; mandākinyām — on the river Mandākinī; mada-utkaṭau — terribly proud and mad; vāruṇīm — a kind of liquor named Vāruṇī; madirām — intoxication; pītvā — drinking; mada-āghūrṇita-locanau — their eyes rolling with intoxication; strī-janaiḥ — with women; anugāyadbhiḥ — vibrating songs sung by them; ceratuḥ — wandered; puṣpite vane — in a nice flower garden.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King Parīkṣit, because the two sons of Kuvera had been elevated to the association of Lord Śiva, of which they were very much proud, they were allowed to wander in a garden attached to Kailāsa Hill, on the bank of the Mandākinī River. Taking advantage of this, they used to drink a kind of liquor called Vāruṇī. Accompanied by women singing after them, they would wander in that garden of flowers, their eyes always rolling in intoxication.

VERSE 10.10.4

antaḥ praviśya gaṅgāyām
ambhoja-vana-rājini
cikrīḍatur yuvatibhir
gajāv iva kareṇubhiḥ

SYNONYMS

antaḥ — within; praviśya — entering; gaṅgāyām — the Ganges, known as Mandākinī; ambhoja — of lotus flowers; vana-rājini — where there was a congested forest; cikrīḍatuḥ — the two of them used to enjoy; yuvatibhiḥ — in the company of young girls; gajau — two elephants; iva — just like; kareṇubhiḥ — with female elephants.

TRANSLATION

Within the waters of the Mandākinī Ganges, which were crowded with gardens of lotus flowers, the two sons of Kuvera would enjoy young girls, just like two male elephants enjoying in the water with female elephants.

VERSE 10.10.5

yadṛcchayā ca devarṣir
bhagavāṁs tatra kaurava
apaśyan nārado devau
kṣībāṇau samabudhyata

SYNONYMS

yadṛcchayā — by chance, while wandering all over the universe; ca — and; deva-ṛṣiḥ — the supreme saintly person among the demigods; bhagavān — the most powerful; tatra — there (where the two sons of Kuvera were enjoying life); kaurava — O Mahārāja Parīkṣit; apaśyat — when he saw; nāradaḥ — the great saint; devau — the two boys of the demigods; kṣībāṇau — with eyes maddened by intoxication; samabudhyata — he could understand (their position).

TRANSLATION

O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, by some auspicious opportunity for the two boys, the great saint Devarṣi Nārada once appeared there by chance. Seeing them intoxicated, with rolling eyes, he could understand their situation.

VERSE 10.10.6

taṁ dṛṣṭvā vrīḍitā devyo
vivastrāḥ śāpa-śaṅkitāḥ
vāsāṁsi paryadhuḥ śīghraṁ
vivastrau naiva guhyakau

SYNONYMS

tam — Nārada Muni; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; vrīḍitāḥ — being ashamed; devyaḥ — the young girls of the demigods; vivastrāḥ — although they were naked; śāpa-śaṅkitāḥ — being afraid of being cursed; vāsāṁsi — garments; paryadhuḥ — covered the body; śīghram — very swiftly; vivastrau — who were also naked; na — not; eva — indeed; guhyakau — the two sons of Kuvera.

TRANSLATION

Upon seeing Nārada, the naked young girls of the demigods were very much ashamed. Afraid of being cursed, they covered their bodies with their garments. But the two sons of Kuvera did not do so; instead, not caring about Nārada, they remained naked.

VERSE 10.10.7

tau dṛṣṭvā madirā-mattau
śrī-madāndhau surātmajau
tayor anugrahārthāya
śāpaṁ dāsyann idaṁ jagau

SYNONYMS

tau — the two boys of the demigods; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; madirā-mattau — very intoxicated because of drinking liquor; śrī-mada-andhau — being blind with false prestige and opulence; sura-ātmajau — the two sons of the demigods; tayoḥ — unto them; anugraha-arthāya — for the purpose of giving special mercy; śāpam — a curse; dāsyan — desiring to offer them; idam — this; jagau — uttered.

TRANSLATION

Seeing the two sons of the demigods naked and intoxicated by opulence and false prestige, Devarṣi Nārada, in order to show them special mercy, desired to give them a special curse. Thus he spoke as follows.

VERSE 10.10.8

śrī-nārada uvāca

na hy anyo juṣato joṣyān
buddhi-bhraṁśo rajo-guṇaḥ
śrī-madād ābhijātyādir
yatra strī dyūtam āsavaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — Nārada Muni said; na — there is not; hi — indeed; anyaḥ — another material enjoyment; juṣataḥ — of one who is enjoying; joṣyān — things very attractive in the material world (different varieties of eating, sleeping, mating and defense); buddhi-bhraṁśaḥ — such enjoyments attract the intelligence; rajaḥ-guṇaḥ — being controlled by the mode of passion; śrī-madāt — than riches; ābhijātya-ādiḥ — among the four material principles (attractive personal bodily features, birth in an aristocratic family, being very learned, and being very rich); yatra — wherein; strī — women; dyūtam — gambling; āsavaḥ — wine (wine, women and gambling are very prominent).

TRANSLATION

Nārada Muni said: Among all the attractions of material enjoyment, the attraction of riches bewilders one’s intelligence more than having beautiful bodily features, taking birth in an aristocratic family, and being learned. When one is uneducated but falsely puffed up by wealth, the result is that one engages his wealth in enjoying wine, women and gambling.

VERSE 10.10.9

hanyante paśavo yatra
nirdayair ajitātmabhiḥ
manyamānair imaṁ deham
ajarāmṛtyu naśvaram

SYNONYMS

hanyante — are killed in many ways (especially by slaughterhouses); paśavaḥ — four-legged animals (horses, sheep, cows, hogs, etc); yatra — wherein; nirdayaiḥ — by those merciless persons who are conducted by the mode of passion; ajita-ātmabhiḥ — rascals who are unable to control the senses; manyamānaiḥ — are thinking; imam — this; deham — body; ajara — will never become old or diseased; amṛtyu — death will never come; naśvaram — although the body is destined to be annihilated.

TRANSLATION

Unable to control their senses, rascals who are falsely proud of their riches or their birth in aristocratic families are so cruel that to maintain their perishable bodies, which they think will never grow old or die, they kill poor animals without mercy. Sometimes they kill animals merely to enjoy an excursion.

VERSE 10.10.10

deva-saṁjñitam apy ante
kṛmi-viḍ-bhasma-saṁjñitam
bhūta-dhruk tat-kṛte svārthaṁ
kiṁ veda nirayo yataḥ

SYNONYMS

deva-saṁjñitam — the body now known as a very exalted person, like president, minister or even demigod; api — even if the body is so exalted; ante — after death; kṛmi — turns into worms; viṭ — or into stool; bhasma-saṁjñitam — or into ashes; bhūta-dhruk — a person who does not accept the śāstric injunctions and is unnecessarily envious of other living entities; tat-kṛte — by acting in that way; sva-artham — self-interest; kim — who is there; veda — who knows; nirayaḥ yataḥ — because from such sinful activities one must suffer hellish conditions.

TRANSLATION

While living one may be proud of one’s body, thinking oneself a very big man, minister, president or even demigod, but whatever one may be, after death this body will turn either into worms, into stool or into ashes. If one kills poor animals to satisfy the temporary whims of this body, one does not know that he will suffer in his next birth, for such a sinful miscreant must go to hell and suffer the results of his actions.

VERSE 10.10.11

dehaḥ kim anna-dātuḥ svaṁ
niṣektur mātur eva ca
mātuḥ pitur vā balinaḥ
kretur agneḥ śuno ’pi vā

SYNONYMS

dehaḥ — this body; kim anna-dātuḥ — does it belong to the employer who gives me the money to maintain it; svam — or does it belong to me personally; niṣektuḥ — (or does it belong) to the person who discharged the semen; mātuḥ eva — (or does it belong) to the mother who maintained this body within her womb; ca — and; mātuḥ pituḥ — or (does it belong) to the father of the mother (because sometimes the father of the mother takes a grandson as an adopted son); balinaḥ — (or does it belong) to the person who takes this body away by force; kretuḥ — or to the person who purchases the body as a slave; agneḥ — or to the fire (because ultimately the body is burned); śunaḥ — or to the dogs and vultures that ultimately eat it; api — even; — or.

TRANSLATION

While alive, does this body belong to its employer, to the self, to the father, the mother, or the mother’s father? Does it belong to the person who takes it away by force, to the slave master who purchases it, or to the sons who burn it in the fire? Or, if the body is not burned, does it belong to the dogs that eat it? Among the many possible claimants, who is the rightful claimant? Not to ascertain this but instead to maintain the body by sinful activities is not good.

VERSE 10.10.12

evaṁ sādhāraṇaṁ deham
avyakta-prabhavāpyayam
ko vidvān ātmasāt kṛtvā
hanti jantūn ṛte ’sataḥ

SYNONYMS

evam — in this way; sādhāraṇam — common property; deham — the body; avyakta — from unmanifested nature; prabhava — manifested in that way; apyayam — and again merged with the unmanifested (“for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return”); kaḥ — who is that person; vidvān — one who is actually in knowledge; ātmasāt kṛtvā — claiming as his own; hanti — kills; jantūn — poor animals; ṛte — except; asataḥ — rascals who have no knowledge, no clear understanding.

TRANSLATION

This body, after all, is produced by the unmanifested nature and again annihilated and merged in the natural elements. Therefore, it is the common property of everyone. Under the circumstances, who but a rascal claims this property as his own and while maintaining it commits such sinful activities as killing animals just to satisfy his whims? Unless one is a rascal, one cannot commit such sinful activities.

VERSE 10.10.13

asataḥ śrī-madāndhasya
dāridryaṁ param añjanam
ātmaupamyena bhūtāni
daridraḥ param īkṣate

SYNONYMS

asataḥ — of such a foolish rascal; śrī-mada-andhasya — who is blinded by temporarily possessing riches and opulence; dāridryam — poverty; param añjanam — the best ointment for the eyes, by which to see things as they are; ātma-aupamyena — with comparison to himself; bhūtāni — living beings; daridraḥ — a poverty-stricken man; param — perfectly; īkṣate — can see things as they are.

TRANSLATION

Atheistic fools and rascals who are very much proud of wealth fail to see things as they are. Therefore, returning them to poverty is the proper ointment for their eyes so they may see things as they are. At least a poverty-stricken man can realize how painful poverty is, and therefore he will not want others to be in a painful condition like his own.

VERSE 10.10.14

yathā kaṇṭaka-viddhāṅgo
jantor necchati tāṁ vyathām
jīva-sāmyaṁ gato liṅgair
na tathāviddha-kaṇṭakaḥ

SYNONYMS

yathā — just as; kaṇṭaka-viddha-aṅgaḥ — a person whose body has been pinpricked; jantoḥ — of such an animal; na — not; icchati — desires; tām — a particular; vyathām — pain; jīva-sāmyam gataḥ — when he understands that the position is the same for everyone; liṅgaiḥ — by possessing a particular type of body; na — not; tathā — so; aviddha-kaṇṭakaḥ — a person who has not been pinpricked.

TRANSLATION

By seeing their faces, one whose body has been pricked by pins can understand the pain of others who are pinpricked. Realizing that this pain is the same for everyone, he does not want others to suffer in this way. But one who has never been pricked by pins cannot understand this pain.

VERSE 10.10.15

daridro nirahaṁ-stambho
muktaḥ sarva-madair iha
kṛcchraṁ yadṛcchayāpnoti
tad dhi tasya paraṁ tapaḥ

SYNONYMS

daridraḥ — a poverty-stricken person; nir-aham-stambhaḥ — is automatically freed from all false prestige; muktaḥ — liberated; sarva — all; madaiḥ — from false ego; iha — in this world; kṛcchram — with great difficulty; yadṛcchayā āpnoti — what he gains by chance from providence; tat — that; hi — indeed; tasya — his; param — perfect; tapaḥ — austerity.

TRANSLATION

A poverty-stricken man must automatically undergo austerities and penances because he does not have the wealth to possess anything. Thus his false prestige is vanquished. Always in need of food, shelter and clothing, he must be satisfied with what is obtained by the mercy of providence. Undergoing such compulsory austerities is good for him because this purifies him and completely frees him from false ego.

VERSE 10.10.16

nityaṁ kṣut-kṣāma-dehasya
daridrasyānna-kāṅkṣiṇaḥ
indriyāṇy anuśuṣyanti
hiṁsāpi vinivartate

SYNONYMS

nityam — always; kṣut — with hunger; kṣāma — weak, without necessary strength; dehasya — of the body of a poor man; daridrasya — poverty-stricken; anna-kāṅkṣiṇaḥ — always desiring to get sufficient food; indriyāṇi — the senses, which are compared to snakes; anuśuṣyanti — gradually become weaker and weaker, with less potency; hiṁsā api — the tendency to be envious of others; vinivartate — reduces.

TRANSLATION

Always hungry, longing for sufficient food, a poverty-stricken man gradually becomes weaker and weaker. Having no extra potency, his senses are automatically pacified. A poverty-stricken man, therefore, is unable to perform harmful, envious activities. In other words, such a man automatically gains the results of the austerities and penances adopted voluntarily by saintly persons.

VERSE 10.10.17

daridrasyaiva yujyante
sādhavaḥ sama-darśinaḥ
sadbhiḥ kṣiṇoti taṁ tarṣaṁ
tata ārād viśuddhyati

SYNONYMS

daridrasya — of a person who is poverty-stricken; eva — indeed; yujyante — may easily associate; sādhavaḥ — saintly persons; sama-darśinaḥ — although sādhus are equal to everyone, to the poor and the rich, the poor man can take advantage of their association; sadbhiḥ — by the association of such saintly persons; kṣiṇoti — reduces; tam — the original cause of material suffering; tarṣam — the desire for material enjoyment; tataḥ — thereafter; ārāt — very soon; viśuddhyati — his material contamination is cleansed off.

TRANSLATION

Saintly persons may freely associate with those who are poverty-stricken, but not with those who are rich. A poverty-stricken man, by association with saintly persons, very soon becomes uninterested in material desires, and the dirty things within the core of his heart are cleansed away.

VERSE 10.10.18

sādhūnāṁ sama-cittānāṁ
mukunda-caraṇaiṣiṇām
upekṣyaiḥ kiṁ dhana-stambhair
asadbhir asad-āśrayaiḥ

SYNONYMS

sādhūnām — of saintly persons; sama-cittānām — of those who are equal to everyone; mukunda-caraṇa-eṣiṇām — whose only business is to serve Mukunda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who always aspire for that service; upekṣyaiḥ — neglecting the association; kim — what; dhana-stambhaiḥ — rich and proud; asadbhiḥ — with the association of undesirable persons; asat-āśrayaiḥ — taking shelter of those who are asat, or nondevotees.

TRANSLATION

Saintly persons [sādhus] think of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours a day. They have no other interest. Why should people neglect the association of such exalted spiritual personalities and try to associate with materialists, taking shelter of nondevotees, most of whom are proud and rich?

VERSE 10.10.19

tad ahaṁ mattayor mādhvyā
vāruṇyā śrī-madāndhayoḥ
tamo-madaṁ hariṣyāmi
straiṇayor ajitātmanoḥ

SYNONYMS

tat — therefore; aham — I; mattayoḥ — of these two drunken persons; mādhvyā — by drinking liquor; vāruṇyā — named Vāruṇī; śrī-mada-andhayoḥ — who are blinded by celestial opulence; tamaḥ-madam — this false prestige due to the mode of ignorance; hariṣyāmi — I shall take away; straiṇayoḥ — because they have become so attached to women; ajita-ātmanoḥ — being unable to control the senses.

TRANSLATION

Therefore, since these two persons, drunk with the liquor named Vāruṇī, or Mādhvī, and unable to control their senses, have been blinded by the pride of celestial opulence and have become attached to women, I shall relieve them of their false prestige.

VERSE 10.10.20-22

yad imau loka-pālasya
putrau bhūtvā tamaḥ-plutau
na vivāsasam ātmānaṁ
vijānītaḥ sudurmadau

ato ’rhataḥ sthāvaratāṁ
syātāṁ naivaṁ yathā punaḥ
smṛtiḥ syān mat-prasādena
tatrāpi mad-anugrahāt

vāsudevasya sānnidhyaṁ
labdhvā divya-śarac-chate
vṛtte svarlokatāṁ bhūyo
labdha-bhaktī bhaviṣyataḥ

SYNONYMS

yat — because; imau — these two young demigods; loka-pālasya — of the great demigod Kuvera; putrau — born as sons; bhūtvā — being so (they should not have become like that); tamaḥ-plutau — so absorbed in the mode of darkness; na — not; vivāsasam — without any dress, completely naked; ātmānam — their personal bodies; vijānītaḥ — could understand that they were naked; su-durmadau — because they were very much fallen due to false pride; ataḥ — therefore; arhataḥ — they deserve; sthāvaratām — immobility like that of a tree; syātām — they may become; na — not; evam — in this way; yathā — as; punaḥ — again; smṛtiḥ — remembrance; syāt — may continue; mat-prasādena — by my mercy; tatra api — over and above that; mat-anugrahāt — by my special favor; vāsudevasya — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sānnidhyam — the personal association, face to face; labdhvā — obtaining; divya-śarat-śate vṛtte — after the expiry of one hundred years by the measurement of the demigods; svarlokatām — the desire to live in the celestial world; bhūyaḥ — again; labdha-bhaktī — having revived their natural condition of devotional service; bhaviṣyataḥ — will become.

TRANSLATION

These two young men, Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva, are by fortune the sons of the great demigod Kuvera, but because of false prestige and madness after drinking liquor, they are so fallen that they are naked but cannot understand that they are. Therefore, because they are living like trees (for trees are naked but are not conscious), these two young men should receive the bodies of trees. This will be proper punishment. Nonetheless, after they become trees and until they are released, by my mercy they will have remembrance of their past sinful activities. Moreover, by my special favor, after the expiry of one hundred years by the measurement of the demigods, they will be able to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, face to face, and thus revive their real position as devotees.

VERSE 10.10.23

śrī-śuka uvāca

evam uktvā sa devarṣir
gato nārāyaṇāśramam
nalakūvara-maṇigrīvāv
āsatur yamalārjunau

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued to speak; evam uktvā — thus uttering; saḥ — he; devarṣiḥ — the greatest saintly person, Nārada; gataḥ — left that place; nārāyaṇa-āśramam — for his own āśrama, known as Nārāyaṇa-āśrama; nalakūvara — Nalakūvara; maṇigrīvau — and Maṇigrīva; āsatuḥ — remained there to become; yamala-arjunau — twin arjuna trees.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Having thus spoken, the great saint Devarṣi Nārada returned to his āśrama, known as Nārāyaṇa-āśrama, and Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva became twin arjuna trees.

VERSE 10.10.24

ṛṣer bhāgavata-mukhyasya
satyaṁ kartuṁ vaco hariḥ
jagāma śanakais tatra
yatrāstāṁ yamalārjunau

SYNONYMS

ṛṣeḥ — of the great sage and saintly person Nārada; bhāgavata-mukhyasya — of the topmost of all devotees; satyam — truthful; kartum — to prove; vacaḥ — his words; hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa; jagāma — went there; śanakaiḥ — very slowly; tatra — there; yatra — to the spot where; āstām — there were; yamala-arjunau — the twin arjuna trees.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, to fulfill the truthfulness of the words of the greatest devotee, Nārada, slowly went to that spot where the twin arjuna trees were standing.

VERSE 10.10.25

devarṣir me priyatamo
yad imau dhanadātmajau
tat tathā sādhayiṣyāmi
yad gītaṁ tan mahātmanā

SYNONYMS

devarṣiḥ — the great saint Devarṣi Nārada; me — My; priya-tamaḥ — most beloved devotee; yat — although; imau — these two persons (Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva); dhanada-ātmajau — born of a rich father and being nondevotees; tat — the words of Devarṣi; tathā — just so; sādhayiṣyāmi — I shall execute (because he wanted Me to come face to face with the yamala-arjuna, I shall do so); yat gītam — as already stated; tat — that; mahātmanā — by Nārada Muni.

TRANSLATION

“Although these two young men are the sons of the very rich Kuvera and I have nothing to do with them, Devarṣi Nārada is My very dear and affectionate devotee, and therefore because he wanted Me to come face to face with them, I must do so for their deliverance.”

VERSE 10.10.26

ity antareṇārjunayoḥ
kṛṣṇas tu yamayor yayau
ātma-nirveśa-mātreṇa
tiryag-gatam ulūkhalam

SYNONYMS

iti — thus deciding; antareṇa — between; arjunayoḥ — the two arjuna trees; kṛṣṇaḥ tu — Lord Kṛṣṇa; yamayoḥ yayau — entered between the two trees; ātma-nirveśa-mātreṇa — as soon as He entered (between the two trees); tiryak — crossways; gatam — so became; ulūkhalam — the big mortar for grinding spices.

TRANSLATION

Having thus spoken, Kṛṣṇa soon entered between the two arjuna trees, and thus the big mortar to which He was bound turned crosswise and stuck between them.

VERSE 10.10.27

bālena niṣkarṣayatānvag ulūkhalaṁ tad
dāmodareṇa tarasotkalitāṅghri-bandhau
niṣpetatuḥ parama-vikramitātivepa-
skandha-pravāla-viṭapau kṛta-caṇḍa-śabdau

SYNONYMS

bālena — by the boy Kṛṣṇa; niṣkarṣayatā — who was dragging; anvak — following the dragging of Kṛṣṇa; ulūkhalam — the wooden mortar; tat — that; dāma-udareṇa — by Kṛṣṇa, who was tied by the belly; tarasā — with great force; utkalita — uprooted; aṅghri-bandhau — the roots of the two trees; niṣpetatuḥ — fell down; parama-vikramita — by the supreme power; ati-vepa — trembling severely; skandha — trunk; pravāla — bunches of leaves; viṭapau — those two trees, along with their branches; kṛta — having made; caṇḍa-śabdau — a fierce sound.

TRANSLATION

By dragging behind Him with great force the wooden mortar tied to His belly, the boy Kṛṣṇa uprooted the two trees. By the great strength of the Supreme Person, the two trees, with their trunks, leaves and branches, trembled severely and fell to the ground with a great crash.

VERSE 10.10.28

tatra śriyā paramayā kakubhaḥ sphurantau
siddhāv upetya kujayor iva jāta-vedāḥ
kṛṣṇaṁ praṇamya śirasākhila-loka-nāthaṁ
baddhāñjalī virajasāv idam ūcatuḥ sma

SYNONYMS

tatra — there, on the very spot where the two arjunas fell; śriyā — with beautification; paramayā — superexcellent; kakubhaḥ — all directions; sphurantau — illuminating by effulgence; siddhau — two perfect persons; upetya — then coming out; kujayoḥ — from between the two trees; iva — like; jāta-vedāḥ — fire personified; kṛṣṇam — unto Lord Kṛṣṇa; praṇamya — offering obeisances; śirasā — with the head; akhila-loka-nātham — to the Supreme Person, the controller of everything; baddha-añjalī — with folded hands; virajasau — fully cleansed of the mode of ignorance; idam — the following words; ūcatuḥ sma — uttered.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, in that very place where the two arjuna trees had fallen, two great, perfect personalities, who appeared like fire personified, came out of the two trees. The effulgence of their beauty illuminating all directions, with bowed heads they offered obeisances to Kṛṣṇa, and with hands folded they spoke the following words.

VERSE 10.10.29

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahā-yogiṁs
tvam ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ paraḥ
vyaktāvyaktam idaṁ viśvaṁ
rūpaṁ te brāhmaṇā viduḥ

SYNONYMS

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa — O Lord Kṛṣṇa, O Lord Kṛṣṇa; mahā-yogin — O master of mysticism; tvam — You, the exalted personality; ādyaḥ — the root cause of everything; puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Person; paraḥ — beyond this material creation; vyakta-avyaktam — this material cosmic manifestation, consisting of cause and effect, or gross and subtle forms; idam — this; viśvam — whole world; rūpam — form; te — Your; brāhmaṇāḥ — learned brāhmaṇas; viduḥ — know.

TRANSLATION

O Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa, Your opulent mysticism is inconceivable. You are the supreme, original person, the cause of all causes, immediate and remote, and You are beyond this material creation. Learned brāhmaṇas know [on the basis of the Vedic statement sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma] that You are everything and that this cosmic manifestation, in its gross and subtle aspects, is Your form.

VERSE 10.10.30-31

tvam ekaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
dehāsv-ātmendriyeśvaraḥ
tvam eva kālo bhagavān
viṣṇur avyaya īśvaraḥ

tvaṁ mahān prakṛtiḥ sūkṣmā
rajaḥ-sattva-tamomayī
tvam eva puruṣo ’dhyakṣaḥ
sarva-kṣetra-vikāra-vit

SYNONYMS

tvam — Your Lordship; ekaḥ — one; sarva-bhūtānām — of all living entities; deha — of the body; asu — of the life force; ātma — of the soul; indriya — of the senses; īśvaraḥ — the Supersoul, the controller; tvam — Your Lordship; eva — indeed; kālaḥ — the time factor; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; viṣṇuḥ — all-pervading; avyayaḥ — imperishable; īśvaraḥ — controller; tvam — Your Lordship; mahān — the greatest; prakṛtiḥ — the cosmic manifestation; sūkṣmā — subtle; rajaḥ-sattva-tamaḥ-mayī — consisting of three modes of nature (passion, goodness and ignorance); tvam eva — Your Lordship is indeed; puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Person; adhyakṣaḥ — the proprietor; sarva-kṣetra — in all living entities; vikāra-vit — knowing the restless mind.

TRANSLATION

You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the controller of everything. The body, life, ego and senses of every living entity are Your own self. You are the Supreme Person, Viṣṇu, the imperishable controller. You are the time factor, the immediate cause, and You are material nature, consisting of the three modes passion, goodness and ignorance. You are the original cause of this material manifestation. You are the Supersoul, and therefore You know everything within the core of the heart of every living entity.

VERSE 10.10.32

gṛhyamāṇais tvam agrāhyo
vikāraiḥ prākṛtair guṇaiḥ
ko nv ihārhati vijñātuṁ
prāk siddhaṁ guṇa-saṁvṛtaḥ

SYNONYMS

gṛhyamāṇaiḥ — accepting the body made of material nature as existing at the present moment because of being visible; tvam — You; agrāhyaḥ — not confined in a body made of material nature; vikāraiḥ — agitated by the mind; prākṛtaiḥ guṇaiḥ — by the material modes of nature (sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa); kaḥ — who is there; nu — after that; iha — in this material world; arhati — who deserves; vijñātum — to know; prāk siddham — that which existed before the creation; guṇa-saṁvṛtaḥ — because of being covered by the material qualities.

TRANSLATION

O Lord, You exist before the creation. Therefore, who, trapped by a body of material qualities in this material world, can understand You?

VERSE 10.10.33

tasmai tubhyaṁ bhagavate
vāsudevāya vedhase
ātma-dyota-guṇaiś channa-
mahimne brahmaṇe namaḥ

SYNONYMS

tasmai — (because You are not to be understood from the material platform, we simply offer obeisances) unto Him; tubhyam — unto You; bhagavate — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vāsudevāya — unto Vāsudeva, the origin of Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha; vedhase — unto the origin of creation; ātma-dyota-guṇaiḥ channa-mahimne — unto You whose glories are covered by Your personal energy; brahmaṇe — unto the Supreme Brahman; namaḥ — our respectful obeisances.

TRANSLATION

O Lord, whose glories are covered by Your own energy, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are Saṅkarṣaṇa, the origin of creation, and You are Vāsudeva, the origin of the caturvyūha. Because You are everything and are therefore the Supreme Brahman, we simply offer our respectful obeisances unto You.

VERSE 10.10.34-35

yasyāvatārā jñāyante
śarīreṣv aśarīriṇaḥ
tais tair atulyātiśayair
vīryair dehiṣv asaṅgataiḥ

sa bhavān sarva-lokasya
bhavāya vibhavāya ca
avatīrṇo ’ṁśa-bhāgena
sāmprataṁ patir āśiṣām

SYNONYMS

yasya — of whom; avatārāḥ — the different incarnations, like Matsya, Kūrma and Varāha; jñāyante — are speculated; śarīreṣu — in different bodies, differently visible; aśarīriṇaḥ — they are not ordinary material bodies, but are all transcendental; taiḥ taiḥ — by such bodily activities; atulya — incomparable; ati-śayaiḥ — unlimited; vīryaiḥ — by strength and power; dehiṣu — by those who actually have material bodies; asaṅgataiḥ — which activities, enacted in different incarnations, are impossible to be performed; saḥ — the same Supreme; bhavān — Your Lordship; sarva-lokasya — of everyone; bhavāya — for the elevation; vibhavāya — for the liberation; ca — and; avatīrṇaḥ — have now appeared; aṁśa-bhāgena — in full potency, with different parts and parcels; sāmpratam — at the present moment; patiḥ āśiṣām — You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all auspiciousness.

TRANSLATION

Appearing in bodies like those of an ordinary fish, tortoise and hog, You exhibit activities impossible for such creatures to perform — extraordinary, incomparable, transcendental activities of unlimited power and strength. These bodies of Yours, therefore, are not made of material elements, but are incarnations of Your Supreme Personality. You are the same Supreme Personality of Godhead, who have now appeared, with full potency, for the benefit of all living entities within this material world.

VERSE 10.10.36

namaḥ parama-kalyāṇa
namaḥ parama-maṅgala
vāsudevāya śāntāya
yadūnāṁ pataye namaḥ

SYNONYMS

namaḥ — we therefore offer our respectful obeisances; parama-kalyāṇa — You are the supreme auspiciousness; namaḥ — our respectful obeisances unto You; parama-maṅgala — whatever You do is good; vāsudevāya — unto the original Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva; śāntāya — unto the most peaceful; yadūnām — of the Yadu dynasty; pataye — unto the controller; namaḥ — our respectful obeisances unto You.

TRANSLATION

O supremely auspicious, we offer our respectful obeisances unto You, who are the supreme good. O most famous descendant and controller of the Yadu dynasty, O son of Vasudeva, O most peaceful, let us offer our obeisances unto Your lotus feet.

VERSE 10.10.37

anujānīhi nau bhūmaṁs
tavānucara-kiṅkarau
darśanaṁ nau bhagavata
ṛṣer āsīd anugrahāt

SYNONYMS

anujānīhi — may we have permission; nau — we; bhūman — O greatest universal form; tava anucara-kiṅkarau — because of being servants of Your most confidential devotee Nārada Muni; darśanam — to see personally; nau — of us; bhagavataḥ — of You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ṛṣeḥ — of the great saint Nārada; āsīt — there was (in the form of a curse); anugrahāt — from the mercy.

TRANSLATION

O supreme form, we are always servants of Your servants, especially of Nārada Muni. Now give us permission to leave for our home. It is by the grace and mercy of Nārada Muni that we have been able to see You face to face.

VERSE 10.10.38

vāṇī guṇānukathane śravaṇau kathāyāṁ
hastau ca karmasu manas tava pādayor naḥ
smṛtyāṁ śiras tava nivāsa-jagat-praṇāme
dṛṣṭiḥ satāṁ darśane ’stu bhavat-tanūnām

SYNONYMS

vāṇī — words, the power of speech; guṇa-anukathane — always engaged in talking about Your pastimes; śravaṇau — the ear, or aural reception; kathāyām — in talks about You and Your pastimes; hastau — hands and legs and other senses; ca — also; karmasu — engaging them in executing Your mission; manaḥ — the mind; tava — Your; pādayoḥ — of Your lotus feet; naḥ — our; smṛtyām — in remembrance always engaged in meditation; śiraḥ — the head; tava — Your; nivāsa-jagat-praṇāme — because You are all-pervading, You are everything, and our heads should bow down, not looking for enjoyment; dṛṣṭiḥ — the power of sight; satām — of the Vaiṣṇavas; darśane — in seeing; astu — let all of them be engaged in this way; bhavat-tanūnām — who are nondifferent from You.

TRANSLATION

Henceforward, may all our words describe Your pastimes, may our ears engage in aural reception of Your glories, may our hands, legs and other senses engage in actions pleasing to You, and may our minds always think of Your lotus feet. May our heads offer our obeisances to everything within this world, because all things are also Your different forms, and may our eyes see the forms of Vaiṣṇavas, who are nondifferent from You.

VERSE 10.10.39

śrī-śuka uvāca

itthaṁ saṅkīrtitas tābhyāṁ
bhagavān gokuleśvaraḥ
dāmnā colūkhale baddhaḥ
prahasann āha guhyakau

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued to speak; ittham — in this way, as aforesaid; saṅkīrtitaḥ — being glorified and praised; tābhyām — by the two young demigods; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; gokula-īśvaraḥ — the master of Gokula (because He is sarva-loka-maheśvara); dāmnā — by the rope; ca — also; ulūkhale — on the wooden mortar; baddhaḥ — bound; prahasan — smiling; āha — said; guhyakau — unto the two young demigods.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: The two young demigods thus offered prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Godhead, is the master of all and was certainly Gokuleśvara, the master of Gokula, He was bound to the wooden mortar by the ropes of the gopīs, and therefore, smiling widely, He spoke to the sons of Kuvera the following words.

VERSE 10.10.40

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

jñātaṁ mama puraivaitad
ṛṣiṇā karuṇātmanā
yac chrī-madāndhayor vāgbhir
vibhraṁśo ’nugrahaḥ kṛtaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; jñātam — everything is known; mama — to Me; purā — in the past; eva — indeed; etat — this incident; ṛṣiṇā — by the great sage Nārada; karuṇā-ātmanā — because he was very, very kind to you; yat — which; śrī-mada-andhayoḥ — who had become mad after material opulence and had thus become blind; vāgbhiḥ — by words or by cursing; vibhraṁśaḥ — falling down from the heavenly planet to become arjuna trees here; anugrahaḥ kṛtaḥ — this was a great favor done by him to you.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: The great saint Nārada Muni is very merciful. By his curse, he showed the greatest favor to both of you, who were mad after material opulence and who had thus become blind. Although you fell from the higher planet Svargaloka and became trees, you were most favored by him. I knew of all these incidents from the very beginning.

VERSE 10.10.41

sādhūnāṁ sama-cittānāṁ
sutarāṁ mat-kṛtātmanām
darśanān no bhaved bandhaḥ
puṁso ’kṣṇoḥ savitur yathā

SYNONYMS

sādhūnām — of devotees; sama-cittānām — who are equally disposed toward everyone; sutarām — excessively, completely; mat-kṛta-ātmanām — of persons who are fully surrendered, determined to render service unto Me; darśanāt — simply by the audience; no bhavet bandhaḥ — freedom from all material bondage; puṁsaḥ — of a person; akṣṇoḥ — of the eyes; savituḥ yathā — as by being face to face with the sun.

TRANSLATION

When one is face to face with the sun, there is no longer darkness for one’s eyes. Similarly, when one is face to face with a sādhu, a devotee, who is fully determined and surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one will no longer be subject to material bondage.

VERSE 10.10.42

tad gacchataṁ mat-paramau
nalakūvara sādanam
sañjāto mayi bhāvo vām
īpsitaḥ paramo ’bhavaḥ

SYNONYMS

tat gacchatam — now both of you may return; mat-paramau — accepting Me as the supreme destination of life; nalakūvara — O Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva; sādanam — to your home; sañjātaḥ — being saturated with; mayi — unto Me; bhāvaḥ — devotional service; vām — by you; īpsitaḥ — which was desired; paramaḥ — supreme, highest, always engaged with all senses; abhavaḥ — from which there is no falldown into material existence.

TRANSLATION

O Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva, now you may both return home. Since you desire to be always absorbed in My devotional service, your desire to develop love and affection for Me will be fulfilled, and now you will never fall from that platform.

VERSE 10.10.43

śrī-śuka uvāca

ity uktau tau parikramya
praṇamya ca punaḥ punaḥ
baddholūkhalam āmantrya
jagmatur diśam uttarām

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti uktau — having been ordered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in this way; tau — Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva; parikramya — circumambulating; praṇamya — offering obeisances; ca — also; punaḥ punaḥ — again and again; baddha-ulūkhalam āmantrya — taking the permission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who was bound to the wooden mortar; jagmatuḥ — departed; diśam uttarām — to their respective destinations.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead having spoken to the two demigods in this way, they circumambulated the Lord, who was bound to the wooden mortar, and offered obeisances to Him. After taking the permission of Lord Kṛṣṇa, they returned to their respective homes.