SB 10.26.2 · Srimad Bhagavatam

Devanagari

बालकस्य यदेतानि कर्माण्यत्यद्भ‍ुतानि वै कथमर्हत्यसौ जन्म ग्राम्येष्वात्मजुगुप्सितम् ॥ २ ॥

Verse text

bālakasya yad etāni karmāṇy aty-adbhutāni vai katham arhaty asau janma grāmyeṣv ātma-jugupsitam

Synonyms

bālakasya — of the boy ; yat — because ; etāni — these ; karmāṇi — activities ; ati — adbhutāni — most amazing ; vai — certainly ; katham — how ; arhati — should deserve ; asau — He ; janma — birth ; grāmyeṣu — among worldly men ; ātma — for Himself ; jugupsitam — contemptible .

Translation

[The cowherd men said:] Since this boy performs such extraordinary activities, how could He warrant a birth among worldly men like us — a birth that for Him would seem contemptible?

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

[The cowherd men said:] Since this boy performs such extraordinary activities, how could He warrant a birth among worldly men like us—a birth that for Him would seem contemptible? KB 10.26.2 One of them said, “My dear friends, considering His wonderful activities, how is it possible that such an uncommon boy would come and live with us in Vṛndāvana? It is really not possible.

Purport

An ordinary living being cannot avoid unpleasant circumstances, but the supreme controller can always make perfect arrangements for His pleasure.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

"Since this boy has performed such astonishing activities he cannot be an ordinary boy. He must be God. But if that is so, how could he be born in a cowherd family and become the object of criticism?" Use of the word asau to denote Krsna indicates that he was not present but had gone to the forest. The full expression of feelings could take place only in his absence. "Even the lesser avataras are not born in such low family as ours , what to speak of the outstanding avataras."

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

He is only a boy (vai) but performs these astonishing activities. Sometimes the word ca is seen instead of vai. Ca means “even though.” How could he take birth in a lowly family which would make him subject to criticism? The word asau indicates that he was not present, since he had gone to the forest. His presence when they spoke would be contrary to rasa.