Devanagari
सा देवकी सर्वजगन्निवास-निवासभूता नितरां न रेजे
भोजेन्द्रगेहेऽग्निशिखेव रुद्धासरस्वती ज्ञानखले यथा सती ॥ १९ ॥
Verse text
sā devakī sarva-jagan-nivāsa-
nivāsa-bhūtā nitarāṁ na reje
bhojendra-gehe ’gni-śikheva ruddhā
sarasvatī jṣāna-khale yathā satī
Synonyms
sā devakī
—
that Devakīdevī
;
sarva
—
jagat — nivāsa — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sustainer of all the universes ( mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni )
;
nivāsa
—
bhūtā — the womb of Devakī has now become the residence
;
nitarām
—
extensively
;
na
—
not
;
reje
—
became illuminated
;
bhojendra
—
gehe — within the limits of the house of Kaṁsa
;
agni
—
śikhā iva — like the flames of a fire
;
ruddhā
—
covered
;
sarasvatī
—
knowledge
;
jṣāna
—
khale — in a person known as jṣāna-khala, one who possesses knowledge but cannot distribute it
;
yathā
—
or just as
;
satī
—
so being .
Translation
Devakī then kept within herself the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the foundation of the entire cosmos, but because she was under arrest in the house of Kaṁsa, she was like the flames of a fire covered by the walls of a pot, or like a person who has knowledge but cannot distribute it to the world for the benefit of human society.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Devakī then kept within herself the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the foundation of the entire cosmos, but because she was under arrest in the house of Kaṁsa, she was like the flames of a fire covered by the walls of a pot, or like a person who has knowledge but cannot distribute it to the world for the benefit of human society.
KB 10.2.19
In this way, Devakī became the residence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is one without a second and the cause of all creation. Devakī became the residence of the Absolute Truth, but because she was confined within the house of Kaṁsa, she looked just like a suppressed fire, or like misused education. When fire is kept in a jug, the illuminating rays of the fire cannot be very much appreciated. Similarly, misused knowledge, which does not benefit the people in general, is not very much appreciated. So Devakī was kept within the prison walls of Kaṁsa’s palace, and no one could see her transcendental beauty, which resulted from her conceiving the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Purport
In this verse the word
jṣāna-khala
is most significant. Knowledge is meant for distribution. Although there is already much scientific knowledge, whenever scientists or philosophers awaken to a particular type of knowledge, they try to distribute it throughout the world, for otherwise the knowledge gradually dries up and no one benefits from it. India has the knowledge of
Bhagavad-gītā,
but unfortunately, for some reason or other, this sublime knowledge of the science of God was not distributed throughout the world, although it is meant for all of human society. Therefore Kṛṣṇa Himself appeared as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and ordered all Indians to take up the cause of distributing the knowledge of
Bhagavad-gītā
throughout the entire world.
yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa
āmāra ājṣāya guru haṣā tāra’ ei deśa
“Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as they are given in
Bhagavad-gītā
and
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.” (Cc.
Madhya
7.128) Although India has the sublime knowledge of
Bhagavad-gītā,
Indians have not done their proper duty of distributing it. Now, therefore, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has been set up to distribute this knowledge as it is, without distortion. Although previously there were attempts to distribute the knowledge of
Bhagavad-gītā,
these attempts involved distortion and compromise with mundane knowledge. But now the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, without mundane compromises, is distributing
Bhagavad-gītā
as it is, and people are deriving the benefits of awakening to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and becoming devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the proper distribution of knowledge has begun by which not only will the whole world benefit, but India’s glory will be magnified in human society. Kaṁsa tried to arrest Kṛṣṇa consciousness within his house (
bhojendra-gehe
), with the result that Kaṁsa, with all his opulences, was later vanquished. Similarly, the real knowledge of
Bhagavad-gītā
was being choked by unscrupulous Indian leaders, with the result that India’s culture, and knowledge of the Supreme were being lost. Now, however, because Kṛṣṇa consciousness is spreading, the proper use of
Bhagavad-gītā
is being attempted.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Devaki became the shelter of the shelter of all material and non-material worlds, but all people could not take advantage of that bliss-giving form. Only a few close persons could appreciate her condition. In the prison house of Kamsa (bhojendra) she was like a covered fire. When a fire is burning in a house, it does not illuminate the town, but only the objects or persons near it in the house. However when the fire becomes strong it can burn down the restricting house. In this way, Devaki also would in due time destroy Kamsa. Knowledge (sarasvati) trapped in the hearts of men who do not distribute it (literally, cheaters of knowledge) does not flourish and benefit others. That knowledge will eventually destroy its restrictor, who is very sinful. In the same way Devaki would destroy offensive Kamsa.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
The word jagat means “that which moves.” Thus it means temporary. Thus sarva-jagat means everything temporary. However by taking sarva as a separate indicator, sarva (all) can also indicate entities which are eternal. Thus sarva-jagan-nivāsa means the Lord who is the shelter of eternal and temporary beings. As the śruti says yasya bhāsā sarvam idam; vibhāti: by his light everything illuminates. (Śvetaśvatāra Upaniṣad) This indicates Kṛṣṇa. Devakī acted as his shelter (nivāsa-bhūtā). But though she was thus qualified to be the giver of all bliss and auspiciousness, she did not shine externally with those qualities but shone internally with her own bliss which excelled that of Vasudeva and others. A covered flame and a person with suppressed knowledge do not shine with all brilliance but shine with brightness internally. These two by their light give internal light because of their personal splendor. For the person in knowledge, the internal aspect is the mind. Even if a flame is covered it can burn down a house. Covered knowledge destroys its shelter (the subtle body) along with sin.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
She had become the supreme shelter of Kṛṣna who is the shelter of the whole universe. She appeared in this world as the mother of svayam bhagavān. She was most fortunate and most beautiful because of this. Still, she did not shine or appear beautiful (na reje). She was like a covered fire since she was not happy. An example is given. She was like person who is the personification of the Vedas (sarasvatī), who does not reveal the knowledge to others (jñāna-khale). Though being happy in himself with that knowledge, a person deprives another person of knowledge. Hiding knowledge however does not depend on being in Kaṁsa’s prison. (Thus it is a general example.) Or knowledge attained by a person whose intention is to harm others (jñāna-khale) does not shine. The defect is in the receptacle of knowledge (being within the prison).
Bhojendra-gehe can also mean “in the kitchen.” Just as a flame, covered by smoke in the kitchen, does not shine, so she did not shine because of Kaṁsa’s evil actions.
Or did she not shine constantly, being imprisoned by Kaṁsa? Yes, she shone because she contained the lord. Just as a flame shines even though repressed, she shone. Similarly a person with great knowledge shines constantly, by special cleverness through suggestion and other devices of speech (jñāna-khale).