SB 10.89.26 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

तामर्जुन उपश्रुत्य कर्हिचित् केशवान्तिके । परेते नवमे बाले ब्राह्मणं समभाषत ॥ २६ ॥ किंस्विद् ब्रह्मंस्त्वन्निवासे इह नास्ति धनुर्धर: । राजन्यबन्धुरेते वै ब्राह्मणा: सत्रमासते ॥ २७ ॥

Verse text

tām arjuna upaśrutya karhicit keśavāntike parete navame bāle brāhmaṇaṁ samabhāṣata kiṁ svid brahmaṁs tvan-nivāse iha nāsti dhanur-dharaḥ rājanya-bandhur ete vai brāhmaṇāḥ satram āsate

Synonyms

tām — that (lamentation) ; arjunaḥ — Arjuna ; upaśrutya — happening to hear ; karhicit — once ; keśava — of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; antike — in the proximity ; parete — having died ; navame — the ninth ; bāle — child ; brāhmaṇam — to the brāhmaṇa ; samabhāṣata — he said ; kim svit — whether ; brahman — O brāhmaṇa ; tvat — your ; nivāse — at the home ; iha — here ; na asti — there is not ; dhanuḥ — dharaḥ — holding his bow in his hand ; rājanya — bandhuḥ — a fallen member of the royal order ; ete — these ( kṣatriyas ) ; vaḥ — indeed ; brāhmaṇāḥ — (like) brāhmaṇas ; satre — at a major fire sacrifice ; āsate — are present .

Translation

When the ninth child died, Arjuna, who was near Lord Keśava, happened to overhear the brāhmaṇa lamenting. Thus Arjuna addressed the brāhmaṇa: “What is the matter, my dear brāhmaṇa? Isn’t there some lowly member of the royal order here who can at least stand before your house with a bow in his hand? These kṣatriyas are behaving as if they were brāhmaṇas idly engaged in fire sacrifices.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

When the ninth child died, Arjuna, who was near Lord Keśava, happened to overhear the brāhmaṇa lamenting. Thus Arjuna addressed the brāhmaṇa: "What is the matter, my dear brāhmaṇa? Isn't there some lowly member of the royal order here who can at least stand before your house with a bow in his hand? These kṣatriyas are behaving as if they were brāhmaṇas idly engaged in fire sacrifices. KB 10.89.26-27 When the brāhmaṇa came to accuse the King of Dvārakā for the ninth time, Arjuna happened to be present with Kṛṣṇa. On hearing that a brāhmaṇa was accusing the King of not properly protecting him, Arjuna became inquisitive and approached the brāhmaṇa. He said, “My dear brāhmaṇa, why do you say that there are no proper kṣatriyas to protect the citizens of your country? Is there not even someone who can pretend to be a kṣatriya, who can carry a bow and arrow at least to make a show of protection? Do you think that all the royal personalities in this country simply engage in performing sacrifices with the brāhmaṇas but have no chivalrous power?” Thus Arjuna indicated that kṣatriyas should not sit back comfortably on the pretext of performing Vedic rituals but must rather be very chivalrous in protecting the citizens. Brāhmaṇas, being engaged in spiritual activities, are not expected to do anything which requires physical endeavor. Therefore, they need to be protected by the kṣatriyas so that they will not be disturbed in the execution of their higher occupational duties.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

"Is there not even a low class ksatriya here, who has respect for brahmanas? What kind of profession is this? " Saying this, Aruna arrogantly glanced around at the people standing there. "Please say what the ksatriya should do in this critical situation?" Showing his index finger he said with sarcasm, "The brahmanas are about to perform sacrifice. They are supposed to be protected, but let them get destroyed."

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

Hearing through others about his complaint while he was with Kṛṣṇa, he came to the brāhmaṇa and spoke loudly to console him. Arjuna addressed him with respect, “O brāhmaṇa!” in order to pacify him, gain his trust, and to indicate the fault of others present who were indifferent to him. Can a lowly kṣatriya not protect you, what to speak of a real kṣatriya? Vai indicates similarity.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

When the ninth child died, Arjuna, who was near Kṛṣṇa, directly the supreme Lord or the killer of Keśī (keśavasya), heard nearby or from others the lament of the bṛahmaṇa, he approached the brāhmaṇa and spoke loudly, in an indirect way, to appease him. O brāhmaṇa, directly the form of the Vedas! By this he indicates the excellence of the brāhmaṇa and confirms the fault of the king. Why is there no warrior at your house in Dvārakā? The unqualified kṣatriyas living here are only brāhmaṇas who perform sacrifices.