SB 10.1.7 · Srimad Bhagavatam

Devanagari

पितामहा मे समरेऽमरञ्जयै-र्देवव्रताद्यातिरथैस्तिमिङ्गिलै: दूरत्ययं कौरवसैन्यसागरंकृत्वातरन् वत्सपदं स्म यत्‍प्लवा: ॥ ५ ॥ द्रौण्यस्त्रविप्लुष्टमिदं मदङ्गंसन्तानबीजं कुरुपाण्डवानाम् जुगोप कुक्षिं गत आत्तचक्रोमातुश्च मे य: शरणं गताया: ॥ ६ ॥ वीर्याणि तस्याखिलदेहभाजा-मन्तर्बहि: पूरुषकालरूपै: प्रयच्छतो मृत्युमुतामृतं चमायामनुष्यस्य वदस्व विद्वन् ॥ ७ ॥

Verse text

pitāmahā me samare ’maraṣjayair devavratādyātirathais timiṅgilaiḥ duratyayaṁ kaurava-sainya-sāgaraṁ kṛtvātaran vatsa-padaṁ sma yat-plavāḥ drauṇy-astra-vipluṣṭam idaṁ mad-aṅgaṁ santāna-bījaṁ kuru-pāṇḍavānām jugopa kukṣiṁ gata ātta-cakro mātuś ca me yaḥ śaraṇaṁ gatāyāḥ vīryāṇi tasyākhila-deha-bhājām antar bahiḥ pūruṣa-kāla-rūpaiḥ prayacchato mṛtyum utāmṛtaṁ ca māyā-manuṣyasya vadasva vidvan

Synonyms

pitāmahāḥ — my grandfathers, the five Pāṇḍavas (Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva) ; me — my ; samare — on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra ; amaram jayaiḥ — with fighters who could gain victory over the demigods on the battlefield ; devavrata — ādya — Bhīṣmadeva and others ; atirathaiḥ — great commanders in chief ; timiṅgilaiḥ — resembling great timiṅgila fish, which can easily eat large sharks ; duratyayam — very difficult to cross ; kaurava — sainya — sāgaram — the ocean of the assembled soldiers of the Kauravas ; kṛtvā — considering such an ocean ; ataran — crossed it ; vatsa — padam — exactly as one steps over a small hoofprint of a calf ; sma — in the past ; yat — plavāḥ — the shelter of the boat of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet ; drauṇi — of Aśvatthāmā ; astra — by the brahmāstra ; vipluṣṭam — being attacked and burned ; idam — this ; mat — aṅgam — my body ; santāna — bījam — the only seed left, the last descendant of the family ; kuru — pāṇḍavānām — of the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas (because no one but me lived after the Battle of Kurukṣetra) ; jugopa — gave protection ; kukṣim — within the womb ; gataḥ — being placed ; ātta — cakraḥ — taking in hand the disc ; mātuḥ — of my mother ; ca — also ; me — my ; yaḥ — the Lord who ; śaraṇam — the shelter ; gatāyāḥ — who had taken ; vīryāṇi — the glorification of the transcendental characteristics ; tasya — of Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead) ; akhila — deha — bhājām — of all the materially embodied living entities ; antaḥ bahiḥ — inside and outside ; pūruṣa — of the Supreme Person ; kāla — rūpaiḥ — in the forms of eternal time ; prayacchataḥ — who is the giver ; mṛtyum — of death ; uta — it is so said ; amṛtam ca — and eternal life ; māyā — manuṣyasya — of the Lord, who appeared as an ordinary human being by His own potency ; vadasva — kindly describe ; vidvan — O learned speaker (Śukadeva Gosvāmī) .

Translation

Taking the boat of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, my grandfather Arjuna and others crossed the ocean of the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, in which such commanders as Bhīṣmadeva resembled great fish that could very easily have swallowed them. By the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa, my grandfathers crossed this ocean, which was very difficult to cross, as easily as one steps over the hoofprint of a calf. Because my mother surrendered unto Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, the Lord, Sudarśana-cakra in hand, entered her womb and saved my body, the body of the last remaining descendant of the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, which was almost destroyed by the fiery weapon of Aśvatthāmā. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, appearing within and outside of all materially embodied living beings by His own potency in the forms of eternal time — that is, as Paramātmā and as virāṭ-rūpa — gave liberation to everyone, either as cruel death or as life. Kindly enlighten me by describing His transcendental characteristics.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Taking the boat of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, my grandfather Arjuna and others crossed the ocean of the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, in which such commanders as Bhīṣmadeva resembled great fish that could very easily have swallowed them. By the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa, my grandfathers crossed this ocean, which was very difficult to cross, as easily as one steps over the hoofprint of a calf. Because my mother surrendered unto Lord Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, the Lord, Sudarśana-cakra in hand, entered her womb and saved my body, the body of the last remaining descendant of the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, which was almost destroyed by the fiery weapon of Aśvatthāmā. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, appearing within and outside of all materially embodied living beings by His own potency in the forms of eternal time—that is, as Paramātmā and as virāṭ-rūpa—gave liberation to everyone, either as cruel death or as life. Kindly enlighten me by describing His transcendental characteristics.

Purport

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.58) : samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām “For one who has accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murāri, or the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoofprint. His goal is paraṁ padam, or Vaikuṇṭha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step.” One who seeks shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa is immediately protected by the Lord. As the Lord promises in Bhagavad-gītā (18.66) , ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ: “I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” By taking shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa, one comes under the safest protection. Thus when the Pāṇḍavas took shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, all of them were on the safe side of the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Parīkṣit Mahārāja, therefore, felt obliged to think of Kṛṣṇa in the last days of his life. This is the ideal result of Kṛṣṇa consciousness: ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ. If at the time of death one can remember Kṛṣṇa, one’s life is successful. Parīkṣit Mahārāja, therefore, because of his many obligations to Kṛṣṇa, intelligently decided to think of Kṛṣṇa constantly during the last days of his life. Kṛṣṇa had saved the Pāṇḍavas, Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s grandfathers, on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and Kṛṣṇa had saved Mahārāja Parīkṣit himself when he was attacked by the brahmāstra of Aśvatthāmā. Kṛṣṇa acted as the friend and worshipable Deity of the Pāṇḍava family. Moreover, apart from Lord Kṛṣṇa’s personal contact with the Pāṇḍavas, Kṛṣṇa is the Supersoul of all living entities, and He gives everyone liberation, even if one is not a pure devotee. Kaṁsa, for example, was not at all a devotee, yet Kṛṣṇa, after killing him, gave him salvation. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is beneficial to everyone, whether one is a pure devotee or a nondevotee. This is the glory of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Considering this, who will not take shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is described in this verse as māyā-manuṣya because He descends exactly like a human being. He is not obliged to come here, like karmīs, or ordinary living beings; rather, He appears by His own internal energy ( sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā ) just to show favor to the fallen conditioned souls. Kṛṣṇa is always situated in His original position as sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, and anyone who renders service to Him is also situated in his original, spiritual identity ( svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ ). This is the highest perfection of human life.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

"I should also hear the topics of Krsna because he is the protector of our dynasty." Thus he speaks this verse. My grandfather crossed the ocean of the kaurava army, though it was difficult to surmount because of Bhisma and others (devavratadi), who could defeat the devatas (amarnjayaih), who were like timingala fish, making it insignificant, like a calf’s hoof-print. The cause was surrender to the lotus feet of Krsna (yat plavah -the boat). Please speak about that person." Surrender to his lotus feet enables one to cross the ocean of material existence. "I must certainly hear about Krsna because he is my only protector." With this in mind he speaks this verse. The holder of the cakra (attacakrah), Krsna, just by his club (this is mentioned in the First Canto), entered into my mother who had surrendered to him, easily saved this body burned (viplustam) from the heat of Asvathama’s weapon (drauni astra) . ca indicates that he also protected the limbs of his mother. Krsna’s topics should be heard because He alone bestows the final goal on all. With this intention the present verse is spoken. Among all those with material bodies (akhila deha bhajam). Speak about he who awards death to those envious of devotees (bahih) and eternal life to those who are his dear devotees (antar). To devotees like Vasudeva he bestows bliss in the form of his human form-two handed or four handed and to people like Kamsa he appears as time or death. According to the statements of Bhagavatam, like the prescription of rock candy to a person afflicted with jaundice, though the Lord first appears as time to award death, he later awards them liberation. Prayacchatah (giving) is used in present tense to indicate that it is being seen before his eyes, or to convey the eternal nature of the Lord’s pastimes. Maya manushya means the Supreme Lord equipped with an eternal energy called maya, rather than a human with material body. Madhya bhasya pramanita sruti says: "ato mayamayam visnum pravadanti manisinah" "Thus the sages call him mayamay Visnu, visnu who possesses the energy called mayam."

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

Three verses indicate that he should constantly hear about Kṛṣṇa since his whole family was dedicated to him. The foes were very courageous. Bhīṣma the chief warrior (devavratādi) was difficult to kill because he was fixed in his vows since he could die at will. The enemy was difficult to overcome since Bhīṣma protected them. ekādaśa-sahasrāṇi yodhayed yas tu dhanvinām astra-śastra-pravīṇaś ca mahā-ratha iti smṛtaḥ amitān yodhayed yas tu samprokto ’tirathas tu saḥ A mahā-ratha is one who can fight alone with ten thousand archers, who is an expert in both weapons and scripture. An atiratha is one who fights with unlimited troops. The troops of Duryodhana and others were like an ocean because of their immense numbers. The word sma indicates that it was well known. Kṛṣṇa’s feet were like a boat, enabling Arjuna to defeat the enemy. But this boat did not carry Arjuna like a normal boat. Kṛṣṇa’s feet as a boat had special power to make the ocean small. Kṛṣṇa particularly gave me life. My limbs were burned up completely (vipluṣṭam) since the brahmāstra could not be countered and was extremely hot. The word idam (this body) indicates that the events happened in this very life not some other life and were plainly visible. There is no doubt about this. Because he was the last remaining Kuru, Kṛṣṇa was merciful to him and showed affection for his body. By preventing destruction of their family Kṛṣṇa preserved their fame and dharma. Though the Pāṇḍavas were also Kurus, the Pāṇḍavas are mentioned separately to show their special position. The Kurus were the others, who were without descendants, like a brāhmaṇa-sannyāsī. The Lord was most compassionate the other Kurus because he uprooted the demons completely and, by protecting the seed, gave them benefit in their future lives (since there were descendants to perform rites for them). The cakra is mentioned because of its prominent nature, but the Lord protected Parīkṣit using his club. astra-tejaḥ sva-gadayā nīhāram iva gopatiḥ The Lord was thus engaged in vanquishing the radiation of the brahmāstra using his club, just as the sun evaporates a drop of dew. SB 1.12.10 Or he held also his cakra to protect Parīkṣit out of great affection. The word ca indicates that Kṛṣṇa also protected his mother. She was saved because of the child in her womb. Otherwise she wished to die with her husband. This and the previous verse indicate that Parīkṣit would be ungrateful if he were to remain disinterested in the topics of the Lord. “My topics are recommended for those who are liberated. My topics, confidential, are for persons like you. These topics should be hidden from materialistic people.” Fearing such a rebuttal, Parīkṣit requests enthusiastically that Śukadeva begin his narration. The Lord gives absence of all suffering (amṛtam) or the highest sweetness, or prema at his lotus feet to embodied beings. The word ca indicates he also gives other desirable objects. Please reveal (vadasva) the secret topics of the Lord. This is the meaning of vadasva in the imperative form according to bhāṣanopasambhāsā: vad in the ātmanepada form means “to light up.” (Pāṇini 1.3.47) Or the word may be taken as vada and sva. Sva means “O my friend!” or “O my treasure!” You should speak for our benefit. O most learned one (vidvan)! This indicates Śukadeva’s knowledge of all those pastimes. The first two lines have been explained by Śrīdhara Svāmī as follows. “Please speak the topics for the devotees since you give immortality to those with spiritual insight (antar) who hear your topics through your form as the antaryāmī and you give death to the materialists (bahiḥ) in the form of time.” Or internally and externally you act in the forms of antaryāmī and time. You give bliss by your form of Viṣṇu situated internally through hearing your topics. You give suffering by your forms situated externally such as time or Yama when there is no hearing of your topics. Or you act internally and externally to give sweetness to the devotees and act externally and internally to give death to the materialists. Māyā-manuṣyasya: you appear like a normal human being, but this is only apparent because you are beyond material qualities, though you perform pastimes like a human. Or though appearing as a human (māyā) you are actually not human (amanuṣyasya), since you show powers like riding Garuḍa, defeating Śiva and bewildering Brahmā. Or māyā can mean mercy for Viśva-koṣa says māyā means mercy and pride. You appear in a human form with mercy. Or māyā can mean knowledge according to Trikaṇḍa-śeṣa and Nighantu. You appear as the supreme Brahman in human form with full knowledge. Another meaning: you went beyond the rules in dealing with people possessing bodies. Persons who could die at will, who were hard to kill, such as Bhīṣma and Droṇa, you had killed (mṛtum). Having killed others like Pūtanā and Kaṁsa, you gave them liberation (amṛtam) which is hard to attain though they were enemies. The word ca indicates that he gave them not only liberation but the goal of his highest devotees. Please recite such actions performed by your free will, because you are situated internally and externally as the three puruṣa avatāras and in various forms of time. It is very suitable that you perform these actions at will since you are situated internally and externally. The rest of the verse can be interpreted as above. Because of the power revealed through giving death or immortality in the earthly pastimes and because of the sweetness of the human actions in the earthly pastimes, the nature of Kṛṣṇa becomes easily revealed in his form on earth, more than in his form in Goloka. Therefore speak of these pastimes. Having previously heard of these pastimes, Parīkṣit was now very eager to know, since Kṛṣṇa in one form was most astonishing as both the source of all avatāras (Svayam Bhagavān) and was an avatāra (making his appearance on earth).