SB 4.16.11 · Srimad Bhagavatam

Devanagari

दुरासदो दुर्विषह आसन्नोऽपि विदूरवत् नैवाभिभवितुं शक्यो वेनारण्युत्थितोऽनल: ॥ ११ ॥

Verse text

durāsado durviṣaha āsanno ’pi vidūravat naivābhibhavituṁ śakyo venāraṇy-utthito ’nalaḥ

Synonyms

durāsadaḥ — unapproachable ; durviṣahaḥ — unbearable ; āsannaḥ — being approached ; api — although ; vidūra — vat — as if far away ; na — never ; eva — certainly ; abhibhavitum — to be overcome ; śakyaḥ — able ; vena — King Vena ; araṇi — the wood that produces fire ; utthitaḥ — being born of ; analaḥ — fire .

Translation

King Pṛthu was born of the dead body of King Vena as fire is produced from araṇi wood. Thus King Pṛthu will always remain just like fire, and his enemies will not be able to approach him. Indeed, he will be unbearable to his enemies, for although staying very near him, they will never be able to approach him but will have to remain as if far away. No one will be able to overcome the strength of King Pṛthu.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

His enemies cannot approach, and if they do, they cannot tolerate his strength. Though present, he seems to be far away. He cannot be conquered. He is like fire, arising from the araṇi wood of Vena. He is not near the evil enemies and when close he is intolerable to them. The best of enemies cannot tolerate him. He arose from churning the araṇi wood in the form of Vena.

Purport

Araṇi wood is a kind of fuel used to ignite fire by friction. At the time of performing sacrifices, one can ignite a fire from araṇi wood. Although born of his dead father, King Pṛthu would still remain just like fire. Just as fire is not easily approached, King Pṛthu would be unapproachable by his enemies, even though they would appear to be very near him.