Verse Text
yathā vā –
gūḍho ’pi veṣeṇa mahī-surasya
harir yathārthaṁ magadhendram ūce |
saṁsṛṣṭam ābhyāṁ saha pāṇḍavābhyāṁ
māṁ viddhi kṛṣṇaṁ bhavataḥ sapatnam ||69||
Translation
Though disguising Himself as a brāhmaṇa, Kṛṣṇa told the truth to Jarāsandha. “O king of Magadha! Understand that it is I, Kṛṣṇa, your enemy, accompanying the two sons of Pāṇḍu.”
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Still on the topic of telling the truth, but with fear of being repetitive, the author gives an alternative example (yathā vā). Saṁsṛṣtam means “coming together.”
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa, along with Bhīma and Arjuna, went to challenge Jarāsandha, He plainly told Jarāsandha that He was the eternal Kṛṣṇa, present along with two of the Pāṇḍavas. The story is that both Kṛṣṇa and the Pāṇḍavas—in this case Bhīma and Arjuna—were kṣatriyas (warrior-kings). Jarāsandha was also a kṣatriya and was very charitable toward the brāhmaṇas. Thus Kṛṣṇa, who had planned to fight with Jarāsandha, went to him with Bhīma and Arjuna in the dress of brāhmaṇas. Jarāsandha, being very charitable toward the brāhmaṇas, asked them what they wanted, and they expressed their desire to fight with him. Then Kṛṣṇa, dressed as a brāhmaṇa, declared Himself to be the same Kṛṣṇa who was the King’s eternal enemy.