Display
Devanagari is shown only when this page stored it. Harvard-Kyoto and ASCII are generated from the IAST verse.
Vanisource / Original texts
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.10.32
Save this passage to keep a private note on this device. Notes are not sent to Vedawiki.
Cite
Source navigation
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 32
- ajāta-śatruḥ pṛtanāṁ
- gopīthāya madhu-dviṣaḥ
- parebhyaḥ śaṅkitaḥ snehāt
- prāyuṅkta catur-aṅgiṇīm
ajātaMahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, who was no one's enemy-śatruḥMahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, who was no one's enemy — Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, who was no one's enemy; pṛtanāmdefensive forces — defensive forces; gopīthāyafor giving protection — for giving protection; madhuof the enemy of Madhu (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)-dviṣaḥof the enemy of Madhu (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) — of the enemy of Madhu (Śrī Kṛṣṇa); parebhyaḥfrom others (enemies) — from others (enemies); śaṅkitaḥbeing afraid of — being afraid of; snehātout of affection — out of affection; prāyuṅktaengaged — engaged; catuḥfour defensive divisions-aṅgiṇīmfour defensive divisions — four defensive divisions.
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, although no one's enemy, engaged four divisions of defense [horse, elephant, chariot and army] to accompany Lord Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of the asuras [demons]. The Mahārāja did this because of the enemy, and also out of affection for the Lord.
Natural defensive measures are horses and elephants combined with chariots and men. Horses and elephants are trained to move to any part of the hills or forests and plains. The charioteers could fight with many horses and elephants by the strength of powerful arrows, even up to the standard of the brahmāstra (similar to modern atomic weapons). Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira knew well that Kṛṣṇa is everyone's friend and well-wisher, and yet there were asuras who were by nature envious of the Lord. So out of fear of attack from others and out of affection also, he engaged all varieties of defensive forces as bodyguards of Lord Kṛṣṇa. If required, Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself was sufficient to defend Himself from the attack of others who counted the Lord as their enemy, but still He accepted all the arrangements made by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira because He could not disobey the King, who was His elder cousin. The Lord plays the part of a subordinate in His transcendental sporting, and thus sometimes He puts Himself in the care of Yaśodāmātā for His protection in His so-called helplessness of childhood. That is the transcendental līlā, or pastime of the Lord. The basic principle for all transcendental exchanges between the Lord and His devotees is exhibited to enjoy a transcendental bliss for which there is no comparison, even up to the level of brahmānanda.