SB 9.8.12 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

न साधुवादो मुनिकोपभर्जिता नृपेन्द्रपुत्रा इति सत्त्वधामनि । कथं तमो रोषमयं विभाव्यते जगत्पवित्रात्मनि खे रजो भुव: ॥ १२ ॥

Verse text

na sādhu-vādo muni-kopa-bharjitā nṛpendra-putrā iti sattva-dhāmani kathaṁ tamo roṣamayaṁ vibhāvyate jagat-pavitrātmani khe rajo bhuvaḥ

Synonyms

na — not ; sādhu — vādaḥ — the opinion of learned persons ; muni — kopa — by the anger of Kapila Muni ; bharjitāḥ — were burned to ashes ; nṛpendra — putrāḥ — all the sons of Sagara Mahārāja ; iti — thus ; sattva — dhāmani — in Kapila Muni, in whom the mode of goodness was predominant ; katham — how ; tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance ; roṣa — mayam — manifested in the form of anger ; vibhāvyate — can be manifested ; jagat — pavitra — ātmani — in He whose body can purify the whole world ; khe — in the sky ; rajaḥ — dust ; bhuvaḥ — earthly .

Translation

It is sometimes argued that the sons of King Sagara were burned to ashes by the fire emanating from the eyes of Kapila Muni. This statement, however, is not approved by great learned persons, for Kapila Muni’s body is completely in the mode of goodness and therefore cannot manifest the mode of ignorance in the form of anger, just as the pure sky cannot be polluted by the dust of the earth.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

That the sons were burned by Kapila’s anger is not accepted by the wise. How can tamas filled with anger exist in the body of Kapila which is śuddha-sattva and which purifies the universe? It is like saying that earthly dust contaminates the sky. Those who say that Kapila became angry are ignorant. To say that the sons were burned by the anger of Kapila is not accepted by the wise. It is said by the ignorant, since his body is śuddha-sattva, and thus by seeing it, the world becomes purified. Tamas cannot exist in him. An example is given to show the impossibility. How is it possible for dust to exist in sky? The ignorant say the sky is dirty. Similarly they say Kapila got angry.