Devanagari
एतदर्थोऽवतारोऽयं भूभारहरणाय मे ।
संरक्षणाय साधूनां कृतोऽन्येषां वधाय च ॥ ९ ॥
Verse text
etad-artho ’vatāro ’yaṁ
bhū-bhāra-haraṇāya me
saṁrakṣaṇāya sādhūnāṁ
kṛto ’nyeṣāṁ vadhāya ca
Synonyms
etat
—
for this
;
arthaḥ
—
purpose
;
avatāraḥ
—
descent
;
ayam
—
this
;
bhū
—
of the earth
;
bhāra
—
the burden
;
haraṇāya
—
for removing
;
me
—
by Me
;
saṁrakṣaṇāya
—
for the complete protection
;
sādhūnām
—
of the saintly
;
kṛtaḥ
—
done
;
anyeṣām
—
of others (the nonsaintly)
;
vadhāya
—
for killing
;
ca
—
and .
Translation
This is the purpose of My present incarnation — to relieve the earth of its burden, protect the pious and kill the impious.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
This is the purpose of My present incarnation—to relieve the earth of its burden, protect the pious and kill the impious.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
"I have come as Krsna avatara with this purpose: for relieving the burden of the earth (destroying the armies), for protecting the devotees; and for killing the demons."
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
The purpose is this (etad-arthaḥ). I have appeared on earth to relieve the burden of the earth. Śrīdhara Svāmī accepts the version with ayam since he refers to it later in his commentary. Sometimes the word hi (certainly) is seen instead. The second line makes clear what was stated in the first line. I descend to protect the devotees and kill the non-devotees. The word saṁ--rakṣanāya is used to indicate protect in this life and the next, since the devotees spread bhakti.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
The avatāra descends from Vaikuṇṭha. “Will be devotees also be killed in relieving the earth of her burden?” No, the devotees will be protected. Only the non-devotees will be killed. The word saṁ--rakṣanāya is used to indicate protection in this life and the next, since the devotees spread bhakti.
Or “The person killed by you, though not qualified, will get liberation.” The purpose of the avatāra is to give liberation to those who are a burden to the earth. The method is given: to protect the devotees and kill the wicked, later giving them liberation. In this avatāra which reveals unlimited powers, the devotees will be protected and the wicked will be killed.