Verse Text
yathā –
rājṣām agādha-gatibhir magadhendra-kārā-
duḥkhāndhakāra-paṭalaiḥ svayam andhitānām |
akṣīṇi yaḥ sukhamayāni ghṛṇī vyatānīd
vṛnde tam adya yadunandana-padma-bandhum ||133||
Translation
An example of karuṇa: I offer my respects to the compassionate son of the Yadus, who like the sun made all the kings’ eyes blossom with joy. These kings had blinded themselves with tears, arising from the impenetrable darkness of suffering caused by being imprisoned by Jarāsandha.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
These are the words of Bhīṣma when he was dying. Svayam indicates that the kings blinded themselves with their tears of suffering. Ghṛṇi means compassionate, according Amara-kośa. Jugupsā karuṇe ghṛṇa: ghṛṇa means disgust and compassion.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Kṛṣṇa’s compassion for distressed persons was exhibited when He released all of the kings imprisoned by Magadhendra. While dying, Grandfather Bhīṣma prayed to Kṛṣṇa and described Him as the sun which eradicated darkness. The kings imprisoned by Magadhendra were put into dark cells, and when Kṛṣṇa appeared there, the darkness immediately disappeared, just as if the sun had risen. In other words, although Magadhendra was able to imprison so many kings, upon the appearance of Kṛṣṇa they were all released. Kṛṣṇa released the kings out of His sincere compassion for them.