The Killing of the Demon Tṛṇāvarta
VERSE 10.7.1-2
śrī-rājovāca
yena yenāvatāreṇa
bhagavān harir īśvaraḥ
karoti karṇa-ramyāṇi
mano-jñāni ca naḥ prabho
yac-chṛṇvato ’paity aratir vitṛṣṇā
sattvaṁ ca śuddhyaty acireṇa puṁsaḥ
bhaktir harau tat-puruṣe ca sakhyaṁ
tad eva hāraṁ vada manyase cet
SYNONYMS
śrī-rājā uvāca — the King inquired (from Śukadeva Gosvāmī); yena yena avatāreṇa — the pastimes exhibited by different varieties of incarnations; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hariḥ — the Lord; īśvaraḥ — the controller; karoti — presents; karṇa-ramyāṇi — were all very pleasing to the ear; manaḥ-jñāni — very attractive to the mind; ca — also; naḥ — of us; prabho — my lord, Śukadeva Gosvāmī; yat-śṛṇvataḥ — of anyone who simply hears these narrations; apaiti — vanishes; aratiḥ — unattractiveness; vitṛṣṇā — dirty things within the mind that make us uninterested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness; sattvam ca — the existential position in the core of the heart; śuddhyati — becomes purified; acireṇa — very soon; puṁsaḥ — of any person; bhaktiḥ harau — devotional attachment and service to the Lord; tat-puruṣe — with Vaiṣṇavas; ca — also; sakhyam — attraction to association; tat eva — that only; hāram — the activities of the Lord, which should be heard and kept on the neck as a garland; vada — kindly speak; manyase — you think it fit; cet — if.
TRANSLATION
King Parīkṣit said: My lord, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, all the various activities exhibited by the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are certainly pleasing to the ear and to the mind. Simply by one’s hearing of these activities, the dirty things in one’s mind immediately vanish. Generally we are reluctant to hear about the activities of the Lord, but Kṛṣṇa’s childhood activities are so attractive that they are automatically pleasing to the mind and ear. Thus one’s attachment for hearing about material things, which is the root cause of material existence, vanishes, and one gradually develops devotional service to the Supreme Lord, attachment for Him, and friendship with devotees who give us the contribution of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you think it fit, kindly speak about those activities of the Lord.
VERSE 10.7.3
athānyad api kṛṣṇasya
tokācaritam adbhutam
mānuṣaṁ lokam āsādya
taj-jātim anurundhataḥ
SYNONYMS
atha — also; anyat api — other pastimes also; kṛṣṇasya — of child Kṛṣṇa; toka-ācaritam adbhutam — they are also wonderful childhood pastimes; mānuṣam — as if playing as a human child; lokam āsādya — appearing on this planet earth in human society; tat-jātim — exactly like a human child; anurundhataḥ — who was imitating.
TRANSLATION
Please describe other pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality, who appeared on this planet earth, imitating a human child and performing wonderful activities like killing Pūtanā.
VERSE 10.7.4
śrī-śuka uvāca
kadācid autthānika-kautukāplave
janmarkṣa-yoge samaveta-yoṣitām
vāditra-gīta-dvija-mantra-vācakaiś
cakāra sūnor abhiṣecanaṁ satī
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued to speak (at the request of Mahārāja Parīkṣit); kadācit — at that time (when Kṛṣṇa was three months old); autthānika-kautuka-āplave — when Kṛṣṇa was three or four months old and His body was developing, He attempted to turn around, and this pleasing occasion was observed with a festival and bathing ceremony; janma-ṛkṣa-yoge — at that time there was also a conjunction of the moon with the auspicious constellation Rohiṇī; samaveta-yoṣitām — (the ceremony was observed) among the assembled women, a ceremony of mothers; vāditra-gīta — different varieties of music and singing; dvija-mantra-vācakaiḥ — with chanting of Vedic hymns by qualified brāhmaṇas; cakāra — executed; sūnoḥ — of her son; abhiṣecanam — the bathing ceremony; satī — mother Yaśodā.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When mother Yaśodā’s baby was slanting His body to attempt to rise and turn around, this attempt was observed by a Vedic ceremony. In such a ceremony, called utthāna, which is performed when a child is due to leave the house for the first time, the child is properly bathed. Just after Kṛṣṇa turned three months old, mother Yaśodā celebrated this ceremony with other women of the neighborhood. On that day, there was a conjunction of the moon with the constellation Rohiṇī. As the brāhmaṇas joined by chanting Vedic hymns and professional musicians also took part, this great ceremony was observed by mother Yaśodā.
VERSE 10.7.5
nandasya patnī kṛta-majjanādikaṁ
vipraiḥ kṛta-svastyayanaṁ supūjitaiḥ
annādya-vāsaḥ-srag-abhīṣṭa-dhenubhiḥ
sañjāta-nidrākṣam aśīśayac chanaiḥ
SYNONYMS
nandasya — of Mahārāja Nanda; patnī — the wife (mother Yaśodā); kṛta-majjana-ādikam — after she and the other members of the house had bathed and the child had been bathed also; vipraiḥ — by the brāhmaṇas; kṛta-svastyayanam — engaging them in chanting auspicious Vedic hymns; su-pūjitaiḥ — who were all received and worshiped with proper respect; anna-ādya — by offering them sufficient grains and other eatables; vāsaḥ — garments; srak-abhīṣṭa-dhenubhiḥ — by offering flower garlands and very desirable cows; sañjāta-nidrā — had become sleepy; akṣam — whose eyes; aśīśayat — laid the child down; śanaiḥ — for the time being.
TRANSLATION
After completing the bathing ceremony for the child, mother Yaśodā received the brāhmaṇas by worshiping them with proper respect and giving them ample food grains and other eatables, clothing, desirable cows, and garlands. The brāhmaṇas properly chanted Vedic hymns to observe the auspicious ceremony, and when they finished and mother Yaśodā saw that the child felt sleepy, she lay down on the bed with the child until He was peacefully asleep.
VERSE 10.7.6
autthānikautsukya-manā manasvinī
samāgatān pūjayatī vrajaukasaḥ
naivāśṛṇod vai ruditaṁ sutasya sā
rudan stanārthī caraṇāv udakṣipat
SYNONYMS
autthānika-autsukya-manāḥ — mother Yaśodā was very busy celebrating the utthāna ceremony of her child; manasvinī — very liberal in distributing food, clothing, ornaments and cows, according to necessity; samāgatān — to the assembled guests; pūjayatī — just to satisfy them; vraja-okasaḥ — to the inhabitants of Vraja; na — not; eva — certainly; aśṛṇot — did hear; vai — indeed; ruditam — the crying; sutasya — of her child; sā — mother Yaśodā; rudan — crying; stana-arthī — Kṛṣṇa, who was hankering to drink His mother’s milk by sucking her breast; caraṇau udakṣipat — out of anger, threw His two legs hither and thither.
TRANSLATION
The liberal mother Yaśodā, absorbed in celebrating the utthāna ceremony, was busy receiving guests, worshiping them with all respect and offering them clothing, cows, garlands and grains. Thus she could not hear the child crying for His mother. At that time, the child Kṛṣṇa, demanding to drink the milk of His mother’s breast, angrily threw His legs upward.
VERSE 10.7.7
adhaḥ-śayānasya śiśor ano ’lpaka-
pravāla-mṛdv-aṅghri-hataṁ vyavartata
vidhvasta-nānā-rasa-kupya-bhājanaṁ
vyatyasta-cakrākṣa-vibhinna-kūbaram
SYNONYMS
adhaḥ-śayānasya — who was put underneath the handcart; śiśoḥ — of the child; anaḥ — the cart; alpaka — not very much grown; pravāla — just like a new leaf; mṛdu-aṅghri-hatam — struck by His beautiful, delicate legs; vyavartata — turned over and fell down; vidhvasta — scattered; nānā-rasa-kupya-bhājanam — utensils made of various metals; vyatyasta — dislocated; cakra-akṣa — the two wheels and the axle; vibhinna — broken; kūbaram — the pole of the handcart.
TRANSLATION
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was lying down underneath the handcart in one corner of the courtyard, and although His little legs were as soft as leaves, when He struck the cart with His legs, it turned over violently and collapsed. The wheels separated from the axle, the hubs and spokes fell apart, and the pole of the handcart broke. On the cart there were many little utensils made of various metals, and all of them scattered hither and thither.
VERSE 10.7.8
dṛṣṭvā yaśodā-pramukhā vraja-striya
autthānike karmaṇi yāḥ samāgatāḥ
nandādayaś cādbhuta-darśanākulāḥ
kathaṁ svayaṁ vai śakaṭaṁ viparyagāt
SYNONYMS
dṛṣṭvā — after seeing; yaśodā-pramukhāḥ — headed by mother Yaśodā; vraja-striyaḥ — all the ladies of Vraja; autthānike karmaṇi — in the celebration of the utthāna ceremony; yāḥ — those who; samāgatāḥ — assembled there; nanda-ādayaḥ ca — and the men, headed by Nanda Mahārāja; adbhuta-darśana — by seeing the wonderful calamity (that the heavily loaded cart had broken upon the small baby, who still lay there unhurt); ākulāḥ — and thus they were very much perturbed as to how it had happened; katham — how; svayam — by itself; vai — indeed; śakaṭam — the handcart; viparyagāt — became so heavily damaged, dismantled.
TRANSLATION
When mother Yaśodā and the other ladies who had assembled for the utthāna festival, and all the men, headed by Nanda Mahārāja, saw the wonderful situation, they began to wonder how the handcart had collapsed by itself. They began to wander here and there, trying to find the cause, but were unable to do so.
VERSE 10.7.9
ūcur avyavasita-matīn
gopān gopīś ca bālakāḥ
rudatānena pādena
kṣiptam etan na saṁśayaḥ
SYNONYMS
ūcuḥ — said; avyavasita-matīn — who had lost all intelligence in the present situation; gopān — to the cowherd men; gopīḥ ca — and to the ladies; bālakāḥ — the children; rudatā anena — as soon as the child cried; pādena — with one leg; kṣiptam etat — this cart was dashed apart and immediately fell dismantled; na saṁśayaḥ — there is no doubt about it.
TRANSLATION
The assembled cowherd men and ladies began to contemplate how this thing had happened. “Is it the work of some demon or evil planet?” they asked. At that time, the small children present asserted that the cart had been kicked apart by the baby Kṛṣṇa. As soon as the crying baby had kicked the cart’s wheel, the cart had collapsed. There was no doubt about it.
VERSE 10.7.10
na te śraddadhire gopā
bāla-bhāṣitam ity uta
aprameyaṁ balaṁ tasya
bālakasya na te viduḥ
SYNONYMS
na — not; te — the cowherd men and ladies; śraddadhire — put their faith (in such statements); gopāḥ — the cowherd men and women; bāla-bhāṣitam — childish talk from the assembled children; iti uta — thus spoken; aprameyam — unlimited, inconceivable; balam — the power; tasya bālakasya — of the small baby Kṛṣṇa; na — not; te — the gopīs and gopas; viduḥ — were aware of.
TRANSLATION
The assembled gopīs and gopas, unaware that Kṛṣṇa is always unlimited, could not believe that baby Kṛṣṇa had such inconceivable power. They could not believe the statements of the children, and therefore they neglected these statements as being childish talk.
VERSE 10.7.11
rudantaṁ sutam ādāya
yaśodā graha-śaṅkitā
kṛta-svastyayanaṁ vipraiḥ
sūktaiḥ stanam apāyayat
SYNONYMS
rudantam — crying; sutam — son; ādāya — picking up; yaśodā — mother Yaśodā; graha-śaṅkitā — fearing some bad planet; kṛta-svastyayanam — immediately performed a ritualistic ceremony for good fortune; vipraiḥ — by calling all the brāhmaṇas; sūktaiḥ — by Vedic hymns; stanam — her breast; apāyayat — made the child suck.
TRANSLATION
Thinking that some bad planet had attacked Kṛṣṇa, mother Yaśodā picked up the crying child and allowed Him to suck her breast. Then she called for experienced brāhmaṇas to chant Vedic hymns and perform an auspicious ritualistic ceremony.
VERSE 10.7.12
pūrvavat sthāpitaṁ gopair
balibhiḥ sa-paricchadam
viprā hutvārcayāṁ cakrur
dadhy-akṣata-kuśāmbubhiḥ
SYNONYMS
pūrva-vat — as the handcart had been situated before; sthāpitam — again assembled with the pots situated properly; gopaiḥ — by the cowherd men; balibhiḥ — all of whom were very strong and stout and who could therefore assemble the parts without difficulty; sa-paricchadam — with all the paraphernalia kept on it; viprāḥ — the brāhmaṇas; hutvā — after performing a fire ceremony; arcayām cakruḥ — performed ritualistic ceremonies; dadhi — with curd; akṣata — grains of rice; kuśa — and kuśa grass; ambubhiḥ — with water.
TRANSLATION
After the strong, stout cowherd men assembled the pots and paraphernalia on the handcart and set it up as before, the brāhmaṇas performed a ritualistic ceremony with a fire sacrifice to appease the bad planet, and then, with rice grains, kuśa, water and curd, they worshiped the Supreme Lord.
VERSE 10.7.13-15
ye ’sūyānṛta-dambherṣā-
hiṁsā-māna-vivarjitāḥ
na teṣāṁ satya-śīlānām
āśiṣo viphalāḥ kṛtāḥ
iti bālakam ādāya
sāmarg-yajur-upākṛtaiḥ
jalaiḥ pavitrauṣadhibhir
abhiṣicya dvijottamaiḥ
vācayitvā svastyayanaṁ
nanda-gopaḥ samāhitaḥ
hutvā cāgniṁ dvijātibhyaḥ
prādād annaṁ mahā-guṇam
SYNONYMS
ye — those brāhmaṇas who; asūya — envy; anṛta — untruthfulness; dambha — false pride; īrṣā — grudges; hiṁsā — being disturbed by the opulence of others; māna — false prestige; vivarjitāḥ — completely devoid of; na — not; teṣām — of such brāhmaṇas; satya-śīlānām — who are endowed with perfect brahminical qualifications (satya, śama, dama, etc); āśiṣaḥ — the blessings; viphalāḥ — useless; kṛtāḥ — have become; iti — considering all these things; bālakam — the child; ādāya — taking care of; sāma — according to the Sāma Veda; ṛk — according to the Ṛg Veda; yajuḥ — and according to the Yajur Veda; upākṛtaiḥ — purified by such means; jalaiḥ — with water; pavitra-auṣadhibhiḥ — mixed with pure herbs; abhiṣicya — after bathing (the child); dvija-uttamaiḥ — with ceremonies performed by first-class brāhmaṇas with the above qualifications; vācayitvā — requested to be chanted; svasti-ayanam — auspicious hymns; nanda-gopaḥ — Mahārāja Nanda, the head of the cowherd men; samāhitaḥ — liberal and good; hutvā — after offering oblations; ca — also; agnim — unto the sacred fire; dvijātibhyaḥ — unto those first-class brāhmaṇas; prādāt — gave in charity; annam — food grains; mahā-guṇam — excellent.
TRANSLATION
When brāhmaṇas are free from envy, untruthfulness, unnecessary pride, grudges, disturbance by the opulence of others, and false prestige, their blessings never go in vain. Considering this, Nanda Mahārāja soberly took Kṛṣṇa on his lap and invited such truthful brāhmaṇas to perform a ritualistic ceremony according to the holy hymns of the Sāma Veda, Ṛg Veda and Yajur Veda. Then, while the hymns were being chanted, he bathed the child with water mixed with pure herbs, and after performing a fire ceremony, he sumptuously fed all the brāhmaṇas with first-class grains and other food.
VERSE 10.7.16
gāvaḥ sarva-guṇopetā
vāsaḥ-srag-rukma-mālinīḥ
ātmajābhyudayārthāya
prādāt te cānvayuñjata
SYNONYMS
gāvaḥ — cows; sarva-guṇa-upetāḥ — being fully qualified by giving sufficient milk, etc; vāsaḥ — well dressed; srak — with flower garlands; rukma-mālinīḥ — and with garlands of gold; ātmaja-abhyudaya-arthāya — for the purpose of his son’s affluence; prādāt — gave in charity; te — those brāhmaṇas; ca — also; anvayuñjata — accepted them.
TRANSLATION
Nanda Mahārāja, for the sake of the affluence of his own son Kṛṣṇa, gave the brāhmaṇas cows fully decorated with garments, flower garlands and gold necklaces. These cows, fully qualified to give ample milk, were given to the brāhmaṇas in charity, and the brāhmaṇas accepted them and bestowed blessings upon the whole family, and especially upon Kṛṣṇa.
VERSE 10.7.17
viprā mantra-vido yuktās
tair yāḥ proktās tathāśiṣaḥ
tā niṣphalā bhaviṣyanti
na kadācid api sphuṭam
SYNONYMS
viprāḥ — the brāhmaṇas; mantra-vidaḥ — completely expert in chanting the Vedic hymns; yuktāḥ — perfect mystic yogīs; taiḥ — by them; yāḥ — whatsoever; proktāḥ — was spoken; tathā — becomes just so; āśiṣaḥ — all blessings; tāḥ — such words; niṣphalāḥ — useless, without fruit; bhaviṣyanti na — never will become; kadācit — at any time; api — indeed; sphuṭam — always factual, as it is.
TRANSLATION
The brāhmaṇas, who were completely expert in chanting the Vedic hymns, were all yogīs fully equipped with mystic powers. Whatever blessings they spoke were certainly never fruitless.
VERSE 10.7.18
ekadāroham ārūḍhaṁ
lālayantī sutaṁ satī
garimāṇaṁ śiśor voḍhuṁ
na sehe giri-kūṭavat
SYNONYMS
ekadā — one time (estimated to have been when Kṛṣṇa was one year old); āroham — on His mother’s lap; ārūḍham — who was sitting; lālayantī — was patting; sutam — her son; satī — mother Yaśodā; garimāṇam — because of an increase in heaviness; śiśoḥ — of the child; voḍhum — to bear Him; na — not; sehe — was able; giri-kūṭa-vat — appearing like the weight of a mountain peak.
TRANSLATION
One day, a year after Kṛṣṇa’s appearance, mother Yaśodā was patting her son on her lap. But suddenly she felt the child to be heavier than a mountain peak, and she could no longer bear His weight.
VERSE 10.7.19
bhūmau nidhāya taṁ gopī
vismitā bhāra-pīḍitā
mahā-puruṣam ādadhyau
jagatām āsa karmasu
SYNONYMS
bhūmau — on the ground; nidhāya — placing; tam — the child; gopī — mother Yaśodā; vismitā — being astonished; bhāra-pīḍitā — being aggrieved by the weight of the child; mahā-puruṣam — Lord Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa; ādadhyau — took shelter of; jagatām — as if the weight of the whole world; āsa — engaged herself; karmasu — in other household affairs.
TRANSLATION
Feeling the child to be as heavy as the entire universe and therefore being anxious, thinking that perhaps the child was being attacked by some other ghost or demon, the astonished mother Yaśodā put the child down on the ground and began to think of Nārāyaṇa. Foreseeing disturbances, she called for the brāhmaṇas to counteract this heaviness, and then she engaged in her other household affairs. She had no alternative than to remember the lotus feet of Nārāyaṇa, for she could not understand that Kṛṣṇa was the original source of everything.
VERSE 10.7.20
daityo nāmnā tṛṇāvartaḥ
kaṁsa-bhṛtyaḥ praṇoditaḥ
cakravāta-svarūpeṇa
jahārāsīnam arbhakam
SYNONYMS
daityaḥ — another demon; nāmnā — by the name; tṛṇāvartaḥ — Tṛṇāvartāsura; kaṁsa-bhṛtyaḥ — a servant of Kaṁsa; praṇoditaḥ — having been induced by him; cakravāta-svarūpeṇa — in the form of a whirlwind; jahāra — swept away; āsīnam — the sitting; arbhakam — child.
TRANSLATION
While the child was sitting on the ground, a demon named Tṛṇāvarta, who was a servant of Kaṁsa’s, came there as a whirlwind, at Kaṁsa’s instigation, and very easily carried the child away into the air.
VERSE 10.7.21
gokulaṁ sarvam āvṛṇvan
muṣṇaṁś cakṣūṁṣi reṇubhiḥ
īrayan sumahā-ghora-
śabdena pradiśo diśaḥ
SYNONYMS
gokulam — the whole tract of land known as Gokula; sarvam — everywhere; āvṛṇvan — covering; muṣṇan — taking away; cakṣūṁṣi — the power of vision; reṇubhiḥ — by particles of dust; īrayan — was vibrating; su-mahā-ghora — very fierce and heavy; śabdena — with a sound; pradiśaḥ diśaḥ — entered everywhere, in all directions.
TRANSLATION
Covering the whole land of Gokula with particles of dust, that demon, acting as a strong whirlwind, covered everyone’s vision and began vibrating everywhere with a greatly fearful sound.
VERSE 10.7.22
muhūrtam abhavad goṣṭhaṁ
rajasā tamasāvṛtam
sutaṁ yaśodā nāpaśyat
tasmin nyastavatī yataḥ
SYNONYMS
muhūrtam — for a moment; abhavat — there was; goṣṭham — throughout the whole pasturing ground; rajasā — by big particles of dust; tamasā āvṛtam — covered with darkness; sutam — her son; yaśodā — mother Yaśodā; na apaśyat — could not find; tasmin — in that very spot; nyastavatī — she had placed Him; yataḥ — where.
TRANSLATION
For a moment, the whole pasturing ground was overcast with dense darkness from the dust storm, and mother Yaśodā was unable to find her son where she had placed Him.
VERSE 10.7.23
nāpaśyat kaścanātmānaṁ
paraṁ cāpi vimohitaḥ
tṛṇāvarta-nisṛṣṭābhiḥ
śarkarābhir upadrutaḥ
SYNONYMS
na — not; apaśyat — saw; kaścana — anyone; ātmānam — himself; param ca api — or another; vimohitaḥ — being illusioned; tṛṇāvarta-nisṛṣṭābhiḥ — thrown by Tṛṇāvartāsura; śarkarābhiḥ — by the sands; upadrutaḥ — and thus being disturbed.
TRANSLATION
Because of the bits of sand thrown about by Tṛṇāvarta, people could not see themselves or anyone else, and thus they were illusioned and disturbed.
VERSE 10.7.24
iti khara-pavana-cakra-pāṁśu-varṣe
suta-padavīm abalāvilakṣya mātā
atikaruṇam anusmaranty aśocad
bhuvi patitā mṛta-vatsakā yathā gauḥ
SYNONYMS
iti — thus; khara — very strong; pavana-cakra — by a whirlwind; pāṁśu-varṣe — when there were showers of dust and small dust particles; suta-padavīm — the place of her son; abalā — the innocent woman; avilakṣya — not seeing; mātā — because of being His mother; ati-karuṇam — very pitifully; anusmarantī — she was thinking of her son; aśocat — lamented extraordinarily; bhuvi — on the ground; patitā — fell down; mṛta-vatsakā — who has lost her calf; yathā — like; gauḥ — a cow.
TRANSLATION
Because of the dust storm stirred up by the strong whirlwind, mother Yaśodā could find no trace of her son, nor could she understand why. Thus she fell down on the ground like a cow who has lost her calf and began to lament very pitifully.
VERSE 10.7.25
ruditam anuniśamya tatra gopyo
bhṛśam anutapta-dhiyo ’śru-pūrṇa-mukhyaḥ
rurudur anupalabhya nanda-sūnuṁ
pavana upārata-pāṁśu-varṣa-vege
SYNONYMS
ruditam — mother Yaśodā, crying pitifully; anuniśamya — after hearing; tatra — there; gopyaḥ — the other ladies, the gopīs; bhṛśam — highly; anutapta — lamenting sympathetically after mother Yaśodā; dhiyaḥ — with such feelings; aśru-pūrṇa-mukhyaḥ — and the other gopīs, their faces full of tears; ruruduḥ — they were crying; anupalabhya — without finding; nanda-sūnum — the son of Nanda Mahārāja, Kṛṣṇa; pavane — when the whirlwind; upārata — had ceased; pāṁśu-varṣa-vege — its force of showering dust.
TRANSLATION
When the force of the dust storm and the winds subsided, Yaśodā’s friends, the other gopīs, approached mother Yaśodā, hearing her pitiful crying. Not seeing Kṛṣṇa present, they too felt very much aggrieved and joined mother Yaśodā in crying, their eyes full of tears.
VERSE 10.7.26
tṛṇāvartaḥ śānta-rayo
vātyā-rūpa-dharo haran
kṛṣṇaṁ nabho-gato gantuṁ
nāśaknod bhūri-bhāra-bhṛt
SYNONYMS
tṛṇāvartaḥ — the demon Tṛṇāvarta; śānta-rayaḥ — the force of the blast reduced; vātyā-rūpa-dharaḥ — who had assumed the form of a forceful whirlwind; haran — and had thus taken away; kṛṣṇam — Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nabhaḥ-gataḥ — went up to the top of the sky; gantum — to go further; na aśaknot — was not able; bhūri-bhāra-bhṛt — because Kṛṣṇa then became more powerful and heavy than the demon.
TRANSLATION
Having assumed the form of a forceful whirlwind, the demon Tṛṇāvarta took Kṛṣṇa very high in the sky, but when Kṛṣṇa became heavier than the demon, the demon had to stop his force and could go no further.
VERSE 10.7.27
tam aśmānaṁ manyamāna
ātmano guru-mattayā
gale gṛhīta utsraṣṭuṁ
nāśaknod adbhutārbhakam
SYNONYMS
tam — Kṛṣṇa; aśmānam — very heavy stone like a lump of iron; manyamānaḥ — thinking like that; ātmanaḥ guru-mattayā — because of being heavier than he could personally perceive; gale — his neck; gṛhīte — being embraced or encircled by His arms; utsraṣṭum — to give up; na aśaknot — was not able; adbhuta-arbhakam — this wonderful child who was different from an ordinary child.
TRANSLATION
Because of Kṛṣṇa’s weight, Tṛṇāvarta considered Him to be like a great mountain or a hunk of iron. But because Kṛṣṇa had caught the demon’s neck, the demon was unable to throw Him off. He therefore thought of the child as wonderful, since he could neither bear the child nor cast aside the burden.
VERSE 10.7.28
gala-grahaṇa-niśceṣṭo
daityo nirgata-locanaḥ
avyakta-rāvo nyapatat
saha-bālo vyasur vraje
SYNONYMS
gala-grahaṇa-niśceṣṭaḥ — because of Kṛṣṇa’s grasping the neck of the demon Tṛṇāvarta, the demon choked and could not do anything; daityaḥ — the demon; nirgata-locanaḥ — his eyes popped out because of pressure; avyakta-rāvaḥ — because of choking, he could not even make a sound; nyapatat — fell down; saha-bālaḥ — with the child; vyasuḥ vraje — lifeless on the ground of Vraja.
TRANSLATION
With Kṛṣṇa grasping him by the throat, Tṛṇāvarta choked, unable to make even a sound or even to move his hands and legs. His eyes popping out, the demon lost his life and fell, along with the little boy, down to the ground of Vraja.
VERSE 10.7.29
tam antarikṣāt patitaṁ śilāyāṁ
viśīrṇa-sarvāvayavaṁ karālam
puraṁ yathā rudra-śareṇa viddhaṁ
striyo rudatyo dadṛśuḥ sametāḥ
SYNONYMS
tam — unto the demon Tṛṇāvarta; antarikṣāt — from outer space; patitam — fallen; śilāyām — on a slab of stone; viśīrṇa — scattered, separated; sarva-avayavam — all the parts of his body; karālam — very fierce hands and legs; puram — the place of Tripurāsura; yathā — as; rudra-śareṇa — by the arrow of Lord Śiva; viddham — pierced; striyaḥ — all the women, the gopīs; rudatyaḥ — although crying because Kṛṣṇa was separated from them; dadṛśuḥ — they saw in front of them; sametāḥ — all together.
TRANSLATION
While the gopīs who had gathered were crying for Kṛṣṇa, the demon fell from the sky onto a big slab of stone, his limbs dislocated, as if he had been pierced by the arrow of Lord Śiva like Tripurāsura.
VERSE 10.7.30
prādāya mātre pratihṛtya vismitāḥ
kṛṣṇaṁ ca tasyorasi lambamānam
taṁ svastimantaṁ puruṣāda-nītaṁ
vihāyasā mṛtyu-mukhāt pramuktam
gopyaś ca gopāḥ kila nanda-mukhyā
labdhvā punaḥ prāpur atīva modam
SYNONYMS
prādāya — after picking up; mātre — unto His mother (Yaśodā); pratihṛtya — delivered; vismitāḥ — all surprised; kṛṣṇam ca — and Kṛṣṇa; tasya — of the demon; urasi — on the chest; lambamānam — situated; tam — Kṛṣṇa; svastimantam — endowed with all auspiciousness; puruṣāda-nītam — who was taken by the man-eating demon; vihāyasā — into the sky; mṛtyu-mukhāt — from the mouth of death; pramuktam — now liberated; gopyaḥ — the gopīs; ca — and; gopāḥ — the cowherd men; kila — indeed; nanda-mukhyāḥ — headed by Nanda Mahārāja; labdhvā — after getting; punaḥ — again (their son); prāpuḥ — enjoyed; atīva — very much; modam — bliss.
TRANSLATION
The gopīs immediately picked Kṛṣṇa up from the chest of the demon and delivered Him, free from all inauspiciousness, to mother Yaśodā. Because the child, although taken into the sky by the demon, was unhurt and now free from all danger and misfortune, the gopīs and cowherd men, headed by Nanda Mahārāja, were extremely happy.
VERSE 10.7.31
aho batāty-adbhutam eṣa rakṣasā
bālo nivṛttiṁ gamito ’bhyagāt punaḥ
hiṁsraḥ sva-pāpena vihiṁsitaḥ khalaḥ
sādhuḥ samatvena bhayād vimucyate
SYNONYMS
aho — alas; bata — indeed; ati — very much; adbhutam — this incident is wonderfully astonishing; eṣaḥ — this (child); rakṣasā — by the man-eating demon; bālaḥ — the innocent child Kṛṣṇa; nivṛttim — taken away just to be killed and eaten; gamitaḥ — went away; abhyagāt punaḥ — but He has come back again unhurt; hiṁsraḥ — one who is envious; sva-pāpena — because of his own sinful activities; vihiṁsitaḥ — now (that demon) has been killed; khalaḥ — because he was envious and polluted; sādhuḥ — any person who is innocent and free from sinful life; samatvena — being equal to everyone; bhayāt — from all kinds of fear; vimucyate — becomes relieved.
TRANSLATION
It is most astonishing that although this innocent child was taken away by the Rākṣasa to be eaten, He has returned without having been killed or even injured. Because this demon was envious, cruel and sinful, he has been killed for his own sinful activities. This is the law of nature. An innocent devotee is always protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and a sinful person is always vanquished for his sinful life.
VERSE 10.7.32
kiṁ nas tapaś cīrṇam adhokṣajārcanaṁ
pūrteṣṭa-dattam uta bhūta-sauhṛdam
yat samparetaḥ punar eva bālako
diṣṭyā sva-bandhūn praṇayann upasthitaḥ
SYNONYMS
kim — what kind of; naḥ — by us; tapaḥ — austerity; cīrṇam — has been done for a very long time; adhokṣaja — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; arcanam — worshiping; pūrta — constructing public roads, etc; iṣṭa — activities for public benefit; dattam — giving charity; uta — or else; bhūta-sauhṛdam — because of love for the general public; yat — by the result of which; samparetaḥ — even though the child was practically lost in death; punaḥ eva — even again because of pious activities; bālakaḥ — the child; diṣṭyā — by fortune; sva-bandhūn — all His relatives; praṇayan — to please; upasthitaḥ — is present here.
TRANSLATION
Nanda Mahārāja and the others said: We must previously have performed austerities for a very long time, worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, performed pious activities for public life, constructing public roads and wells, and also given charity, as a result of which this boy, although faced with death, has returned to give happiness to His relatives.
VERSE 10.7.33
dṛṣṭvādbhutāni bahuśo
nanda-gopo bṛhadvane
vasudeva-vaco bhūyo
mānayām āsa vismitaḥ
SYNONYMS
dṛṣṭvā — after seeing; adbhutāni — the very wonderful and astonishing incidents; bahuśaḥ — many times; nanda-gopaḥ — Nanda Mahārāja, the head of the cowherd men; bṛhadvane — in Bṛhadvana; vasudeva-vacaḥ — the words spoken by Vasudeva when Nanda Mahārāja was in Mathurā; bhūyaḥ — again and again; mānayām āsa — accepted how true they were; vismitaḥ — in great astonishment.
TRANSLATION
Having seen all these incidents in Bṛhadvana, Nanda Mahārāja became more and more astonished, and he remembered the words spoken to him by Vasudeva in Mathurā.
VERSE 10.7.34
ekadārbhakam ādāya
svāṅkam āropya bhāminī
prasnutaṁ pāyayām āsa
stanaṁ sneha-pariplutā
SYNONYMS
ekadā — once upon a time; arbhakam — the child; ādāya — taking; sva-aṅkam — on her own lap; āropya — and placing Him; bhāminī — mother Yaśodā; prasnutam — breast milk oozing out; pāyayām āsa — fed the child; stanam — her breast; sneha-pariplutā — with great affection and love.
TRANSLATION
One day mother Yaśodā, having taken Kṛṣṇa up and placed Him on her lap, was feeding Him milk from her breast with maternal affection. The milk was flowing from her breast, and the child was drinking it.
VERSE 10.7.35-36
pīta-prāyasya jananī
sutasya rucira-smitam
mukhaṁ lālayatī rājañ
jṛmbhato dadṛśe idam
khaṁ rodasī jyotir-anīkam āśāḥ
sūryendu-vahni-śvasanāmbudhīṁś ca
dvīpān nagāṁs tad-duhitṝr vanāni
bhūtāni yāni sthira-jaṅgamāni
SYNONYMS
pīta-prāyasya — of child Kṛṣṇa, who was being offered breast milk and was almost satisfied; jananī — mother Yaśodā; sutasya — of her son; rucira-smitam — seeing the child fully satisfied and smiling; mukham — the face; lālayatī — patting and softly rubbing with her hand; rājan — O King; jṛmbhataḥ — while the child was yawning; dadṛśe — she saw; idam — the following; kham — the sky; rodasī — both the higher planetary system and the earth; jyotiḥ-anīkam — the luminaries; āśāḥ — the directions; sūrya — the sun; indu — the moon; vahni — fire; śvasana — the air; ambudhīn — the seas; ca — and; dvīpān — the islands; nagān — the mountains; tat-duhitṝḥ — the daughters of the mountains (the rivers); vanāni — forests; bhūtāni — all kinds of living entities; yāni — which are; sthira-jaṅgamāni — nonmoving and moving.
TRANSLATION
O King Parīkṣit, when the child Kṛṣṇa was almost finished drinking His mother’s milk and mother Yaśodā was touching Him and looking at His beautiful, brilliantly smiling face, the baby yawned, and mother Yaśodā saw in His mouth the whole sky, the higher planetary system and the earth, the luminaries in all directions, the sun, the moon, fire, air, the seas, islands, mountains, rivers, forests, and all kinds of living entities, moving and nonmoving.
VERSE 10.7.37
sā vīkṣya viśvaṁ sahasā
rājan sañjāta-vepathuḥ
sammīlya mṛgaśāvākṣī
netre āsīt suvismitā
SYNONYMS
sā — mother Yaśodā; vīkṣya — by seeing; viśvam — the whole universe; sahasā — suddenly within the mouth of her son; rājan — O King (Mahārāja Parīkṣit); sañjāta-vepathuḥ — whose heart was beating; sammīlya — opening; mṛgaśāva-akṣī — like the eyes of a deer cub; netre — her two eyes; āsīt — became; su-vismitā — astonished.
TRANSLATION
When mother Yaśodā saw the whole universe within the mouth of her child, her heart began to throb, and in astonishment she wanted to close her restless eyes.