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CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Kṛṣṇa Rescues His Teacher’s Son

This chapter describes how Lord Kṛṣṇa consoled Devakī, Vasudeva and Nanda Mahārāja and installed Ugrasena as king. It also relates how Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma completed Their education, retrieved the dead son of Their guru and then returned home.

Noting that His parents — Vasudeva and Devakī — had realized His true position as God, Śrī Kṛṣṇa expanded His Yogamāyā to again make them think of Him as their dear child. Then, with Lord Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa approached them and said how unhappy He was that He and they had been unable to enjoy the mutual satisfaction of parents and children who live together. Then He stated, “Even in a lifetime of one hundred years, no son can ever repay the debt he owes his parents, from whom he receives his very body. Any capable son who fails to support his parents will be forced, in the hereafter, to eat his own flesh. Indeed, any person who does not maintain and nourish those under his care — children, wife, spiritual masters, brāhmaṇas, elderly parents, and so on — is simply a living corpse. It was out of fear of Kaṁsa that We could not serve you, so now please forgive Us.” Vasudeva and Devakī, overcome with emotion upon hearing these words of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s, embraced their two sons and in ecstasy shed a torrent of tears.

Having thus satisfied His mother and father, Lord Kṛṣṇa offered Kaṁsa’s kingdom to His maternal grandfather, Ugrasena, and then arranged for all His family members who had fled in fear of Kaṁsa to return to their homes. Protected by the mighty arms of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, the Yādavas began to enjoy supreme bliss.

Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma next approached Nanda Mahārāja and praised him for having cared so lovingly for Them, another’s sons. Kṛṣṇa then said to Nanda, “Dear Father, please return to Vraja. Knowing how much you and Our other relatives are suffering in separation from Us, Balarāma and I will come to see you as soon as We have satisfied your friends here in Mathurā.” Kṛṣṇa then worshiped Nanda with various offerings, and Nanda felt overwhelmed with love for his sons. After tearfully embracing Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, he took the cowherd men and departed for Vraja. Next Vasudeva had his priests perform his sons’ ritual of second birth. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma then went to Garga Muni to take the vow of brahmacarya, celibacy. Afterward, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, though omniscient, desired to reside at the school of a spiritual master, and thus They went to live with Sāndīpani Muni at Avantīpura.

To teach the proper way to respect one’s guru, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma served Their spiritual master with great devotion, as They would a Deity of the Supreme Lord Himself. Sāndīpani Muni, pleased by Their service, imparted to Them detailed knowledge of all the Vedas, together with their six corollaries and the Upaniṣads. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma needed to hear each subject explained only once to assimilate it completely, and thus in sixty-four days They learned the sixty-four traditional arts.

Before taking leave of Their guru, the two Lords offered Sāndīpani Muni any gift he desired. The wise Sāndīpani, seeing Their amazing prowess, requested that They bring back his son, who had died in the ocean at Prabhāsa.

Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma mounted a chariot and went to Prabhāsa, where They approached the shore and were worshiped by the presiding deity of the ocean. Kṛṣṇa asked the ocean to return His spiritual master’s son, and the lord of the ocean replied that a demon dwelling within the ocean named Pāñcajana had taken the boy away. Hearing this, Śrī Kṛṣṇa entered the ocean, killed that demon and took the shell that had grown from his body. But when Kṛṣṇa did not find His guru’s son within the demon’s belly, He went to the planet of Yamarāja, the lord of death. Yamarāja came forward when he heard Kṛṣṇa blow the Pāñcajanya conchshell and devotedly worshiped Him. Lord Kṛṣṇa then asked Yamarāja for Sāndīpani Muni’s son, and Yamarāja immediately gave him to the two Lords.

Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma then returned to Their spiritual master and presented him with his son, requesting him to choose yet another favor. But Sāndīpani Muni replied that by having obtained disciples such as Them, all his desires were fulfilled. He thus instructed Them to return home.

Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma traveled to Their home by chariot, and upon Their arrival all the citizens became unlimitedly ecstatic to see Them, just like persons who have regained a lost treasure.

Devanagari

श्रीशुक उवाच
पितरावुपलब्धार्थौ विदित्वा पुरुषोत्तम: ।
मा भूदिति निजां मायां ततान जनमोहिनीम् ॥ १ ॥

Text

śrī-śuka uvāca
pitarāv upalabdhārthau
viditvā puruṣottamaḥ
mā bhūd iti nijāṁ māyāṁ
tatāna jana-mohinīm

Synonyms

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; pitarau — His parents; upalabdha — having realized; arthau — the idea (of His opulent position as God); viditvā — knowing; puruṣa-uttamaḥ — the Supreme Personality; bhūt iti — “this should not be”; nijām — His personal; māyām — illusory potency; tatāna — He expanded; jana — His devotees; mohinīm — which bewilders.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Understanding that His parents were becoming aware of His transcendental opulences, the Supreme Personality of Godhead thought that this should not be allowed to happen. Thus He expanded His Yoga-māyā, which bewilders His devotees.

Purport

If Vasudeva and Devakī would have seen Kṛṣṇa as almighty God, their intense love for Him as their son would have been spoiled. Lord Kṛṣṇa did not want this. Rather, the Lord wanted to enjoy with them the ecstatic love of vātsalya-rasa, the relationship between parents and children. As Śrīla Prabhupāda often pointed out, although we normally think of God as the supreme father, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness we can enter into the Lord’s pastimes and play the part of His parents, thus intensifying our love for Him.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura points out that the word jana may be translated here as “devotees,” as in the verse dīyamānaṁ na gṛhṇanti vinā mat-sevanaṁ janaḥ (Bhāg. 3.29.13). He further explains that jana may also be translated as “parents,” since jana is derived from the verb jan, which in the causative form (janayate) means “to generate or to give birth to.” In this sense of the word (as in jananī or janakau), the term jana-mohinī indicates that the Lord was about to expand His internal illusory potency so that Vasudeva and Devakī would again love Him as their dear child.

Devanagari

उवाच पितरावेत्य साग्रज: सात्वतर्षभ: ।
प्रश्रयावनत: प्रीणन्नम्ब तातेति सादरम् ॥ २ ॥

Text

uvāca pitarāv etya
sāgrajaḥ sātvatarṣabhaḥ
praśrayāvanataḥ prīṇann
amba tāteti sādaram

Synonyms

uvāca — He said; pitarau — to His parents; etya — approaching them; sa — together with; agra-jaḥ — His elder brother, Lord Balarāma; sātvata — of the Sātvata dynasty; ṛṣabhaḥ — the greatest hero; praśraya — with humility; avanataḥ — bowing down; prīṇan — gratifying them; amba tāta iti — “My dear mother, My dear father”; sa-ādaram — respectfully.

Translation

Lord Kṛṣṇa, the greatest of the Sātvatas, approached His parents with His elder brother. Humbly bowing His head and gratifying them by respectfully addressing them as “My dear mother” and “My dear father,” Kṛṣṇa spoke as follows.

Devanagari

नास्मत्तो युवयोस्तात नित्योत्कण्ठितयोरपि ।
बाल्यपौगण्डकैशोरा: पुत्राभ्यामभवन्‍क्‍वचित् ॥ ३ ॥

Text

nāsmatto yuvayos tāta
nityotkaṇṭhitayor api
bālya-paugaṇḍa-kaiśorāḥ
putrābhyām abhavan kvacit

Synonyms

na — not; asmattaḥ — because of Us; yuvayoḥ — for you two; tāta — O dear father; nitya — always; utkaṇṭhitayoḥ — who have been in anxiety; api — indeed; bālya — (the pleasures of) the toddler age; paugaṇḍa — boyhood; kaiśoraḥ — and youth; putrābhyām — because of your two sons; abhavan — there were; kvacit — at all.

Translation

[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] Dear Father, because of Us, your two sons, you and mother Devakī always remained in anxiety and could never enjoy Our childhood, boyhood or youth.

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī discusses this verse as follows: “One may object that at this point Lord Kṛṣṇa had not actually passed the kaiśora stage [age ten to fifteen], since the women of Mathurā had stated, kva cāti-sukumārāṅgau kiśorau nāpta-yauvanau: ‘Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma have very tender limbs, being still at the kiśora stage, not having reached adolescence.’ (Bhāg. 10.44.8) The definition of the different stages of growing up is given as follows:

kaumāraṁ pañcamābdāntaṁ
paugaṇḍaṁ daśamāvadhi
kaiśoram ā-pañcadaśād
yauvanaṁ tu tataḥ param

‘The kaumāra stage lasts until the age of five, paugaṇḍa up to age ten and kaiśora to age fifteen. From then on, one is known as yauvana.’ According to this statement, the kaiśora period ends at the age of fifteen. Kṛṣṇa was only eleven years old when He killed Kaṁsa, according to Uddhava’s words: ekādaśa-samās tatra gūḍhārciḥ sa-balo ’vasat. ‘Like a covered flame, Lord Kṛṣṇa remained there incognito with Balarāma for eleven years.’ (Bhāg. 3.2.26) And since Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma never took brahminical initiation in Vraja-bhūmi, it was at the time [of Their going to Mathurā] that Their kaiśora stage began rather than ended.

“This objection to Lord Kṛṣṇa’s statement in the present verse — that His parents could not enjoy His kaiśora stage — is based on ordinary measurement of age. Yet we should consider the following statement:

kālenālpena rājarṣe
rāmaḥ kṛṣṇaś ca go-vraje
aghṛṣṭa-jānubhiḥ padbhir
vicakramatur añjasā

‘O King Parīkṣit, within a short time Rāma and Kṛṣṇa began to walk very easily in Gokula on Their legs, by Their own strength, without the need to crawl.’ Sometimes we see that the son of a king, even while in his paugaṇḍa stage of life, undergoes exceptional physical growth and exhibits activities appropriate to a kaiśora. Then what to speak of Lord Kṛṣṇa, whose exceptional growth is established in the Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Ānanda-vṛndavana-campū and other works?

“The three years and four months that Lord Kṛṣṇa stayed in Mahāvana were the equivalent of five years for an ordinary child, and thus in that period He completed His kaumāra stage of childhood. The period from then to the age of six years and eight months, during which He lived in Vṛndāvana, constitutes His paugaṇḍa stage. And the period from the age of six years and eight months through His tenth year, during which time He lived in Nandīśvara [Nandagrāma], constitutes His kaiśora stage. Then, at the age of ten years and seven months, on the eleventh lunar day of the dark fortnight of the month of Caitra, He went to Mathurā, and on the fourteenth day thereafter He killed Kaṁsa. Thus He completed His kaiśora period at age ten, and He eternally remains at that age. In other words, we should understand that from this point on the Lord remains forever a kiśora.

Thus Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī analyzes the intricacies of this verse.

Devanagari

न लब्धो दैवहतयोर्वासो नौ भवदन्तिके ।
यां बाला: पितृगेहस्था विन्दन्ते लालिता मुदम् ॥ ४ ॥

Text

na labdho daiva-hatayor
vāso nau bhavad-antike
yāṁ bālāḥ pitṛ-geha-sthā
vindante lālitā mudam

Synonyms

na — not; labdhaḥ — obtained; daiva — by fate; hatayoḥ — who have been deprived; vāsaḥ — residence; nau — by Us; bhavat-antike — in your presence; yām — which; bālāḥ — children; pitṛ — of their parents; geha — in the home; sthaḥ — staying; vindante — experience; lālitāḥ — pampered; mudam — happiness.

Translation

Deprived by fate, We could not live with you and enjoy the pampered happiness most children enjoy in their parents’ home.

Purport

Here Lord Kṛṣṇa points out that not only did His parents suffer in separation from Him and Balarāma, but the two boys also suffered in separation from Their parents.

Devanagari

सर्वार्थसम्भवो देहो जनित: पोषितो यत: ।
न तयोर्याति निर्वेशं पित्रोर्मर्त्य: शतायुषा ॥ ५ ॥

Text

sarvārtha-sambhavo deho
janitaḥ poṣito yataḥ
na tayor yāti nirveśaṁ
pitror martyaḥ śatāyuṣā

Synonyms

sarva — of all; artha — goals of life; sambhavaḥ — the source; dehaḥ — one’s body; janitaḥ — born; poṣitaḥ — maintained; yataḥ — from whom; na — not; tayoḥ — to them; yāti — one achieves; nirveśam — repayment of the debt; pitroḥ — to the parents; martyaḥ — a mortal; śata — of one hundred (years); āyuṣā — with a life span.

Translation

With one’s body one can acquire all goals of life, and it is one’s parents who give the body birth and sustenance. Therefore no mortal man can repay his debt to his parents, even if he serves them for a full lifetime of a hundred years.

Purport

Having stated, “Both you, Our parents, and We have suffered because of Our separation,” Kṛṣṇa now states that His and Balarāma’s religious principles have been spoiled by Their failure to satisfy Their parents.

Devanagari

यस्तयोरात्मज: कल्प आत्मना च धनेन च ।
वृत्तिं न दद्यात्तं प्रेत्य स्वमांसं खादयन्ति हि ॥ ६ ॥

Text

yas tayor ātmajaḥ kalpa
ātmanā ca dhanena ca
vṛttiṁ na dadyāt taṁ pretya
sva-māṁsaṁ khādayanti hi

Synonyms

yaḥ — who; tayoḥ — of them; ātma-jaḥ — a son; kalpaḥ — capable; ātmanā — with his physical resources; ca — and; dhanena — with his wealth; ca — also; vṛttim — a livelihood; na dadyāt — does not give; tam — him; pretya — after passing away; sva — his own; māṁsam — flesh; khādayanti — they make eat; hi — indeed.

Translation

A son who, though able to do so, fails to provide for his parents with his physical resources and wealth is forced after his death to eat his own flesh.

Devanagari

मातरं पितरं वृद्धं भार्यां साध्वीं सुतं शिशुम् ।
गुरुं विप्रं प्रपन्नं च कल्पोऽबिभ्रच्छ्वसन् मृत: ॥ ७ ॥

Text

mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vṛddhaṁ
bhāryāṁ sādhvīṁ sutam śiśum
guruṁ vipraṁ prapannaṁ ca
kalpo ’bibhrac chvasan-mṛtaḥ

Synonyms

mātaram — one’s mother; pitaram — and father; vṛddham — elderly; bhāryām — one’s wife; sādhvīm — chaste; sutam — one’s child; śiśum — very young; gurum — a spiritual master; vipram — a brāhmaṇa; prapannam — a person who has come to one for shelter; ca — and; kalpaḥ — able; abibhrat — not maintaining; śvasan — breathing; mṛtaḥ — dead.

Translation

A man who, though able to do so, fails to support his elderly parents, chaste wife, young child or spiritual master, or who neglects a brāhmaṇa or anyone who comes to him for shelter, is considered dead, though breathing.

Devanagari

तन्नावकल्पयो: कंसान्नित्यमुद्विग्नचेतसो: ।
मोघमेते व्यतिक्रान्ता दिवसा वामनर्चतो: ॥ ८ ॥

Text

tan nāv akalpayoḥ kaṁsān
nityam udvigna-cetasoḥ
mogham ete vyatikrāntā
divasā vām anarcatoḥ

Synonyms

tat — therefore; nau — of Us two; akalpayoḥ — who were unable; kaṁsāt — because of Kaṁsa; nityam — always; udvigna — disturbed; cetasoḥ — whose minds; mogham — uselessly; ete — these; vyatikrāntāḥ — spent; divasāḥ — days; vām — you; anarcatoḥ — not honoring.

Translation

Thus We have wasted all these days, unable as We were to properly honor you because Our minds were always disturbed by fear of Kaṁsa.

Purport

Lord Kṛṣṇa continues to bring Vasudeva and Devakī back to their normal parental feelings toward Him and Balarāma. An ordinary child would be afraid of a cruel, tyrannical king like Kaṁsa, and Lord Kṛṣṇa here plays the part of such a child, thus evoking the parental sympathy of Vasudeva and Devakī.

Devanagari

तत् क्षन्तुमर्हथस्तात मातर्नौ परतन्त्रयो: ।
अकुर्वतोर्वां शुश्रूषां क्लिष्टयोर्दुर्हृदा भृशम् ॥ ९ ॥

Text

tat kṣantum arhathas tāta
mātar nau para-tantrayoḥ
akurvator vāṁ śuśrūṣāṁ
kliṣṭayor durhṛdā bhṛśam

Synonyms

tat — that; kṣantum — forgive; arhathaḥ — you may please; tāta — O Father; mātaḥ — O Mother; nau — on the part of Us; para-tantrayoḥ — who are under the control of others; akurvatoḥ — not executing; vām — your; śuśrūṣām — service; kliṣṭayoḥ — caused pain; durhṛdā — by the hardhearted (Kaṁsa); bhṛśam — greatly.

Translation

Dear Father and Mother, please forgive Us for not serving you. We are not independent and have been greatly frustrated by cruel Kaṁsa.

Purport

According to Sanskrit grammar, the words para-tantrayoḥ and kliṣṭayoḥ may also refer to Vasudeva and Devakī. Actually, Vasudeva and Devakī were under the control of Providence and were disturbed by the activities of Kaṁsa, whereas Śrī Kṛṣṇa is always the absolute Personality of Godhead.

Devanagari

श्रीशुक उवाच
इति मायामनुष्यस्य हरेर्विश्वात्मनो गिरा ।
मोहितावङ्कमारोप्य परिष्वज्यापतुर्मुदम् ॥ १० ॥

Text

śrī-śuka uvāca
iti māyā-manuṣyasya
harer viśvātmano girā
mohitāv aṅkam āropya
pariṣvajyāpatur mudam

Synonyms

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; māyā — by His internal illusory potency; manuṣyasya — of Him who appears as a human; hareḥ — Lord Śrī Hari; viśva — of the universe; ātmanaḥ — the Soul; girā — by the words; mohitau — bewildered; aṅkam — upon their laps; āropya — raising; pariṣvajya — embracing; āpatuḥ — they both experienced; mudam — joy.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus beguiled by the words of Lord Hari, the Supreme Soul of the universe, who by His internal illusory potency appeared to be a human, His parents joyfully raised Him up on their laps and embraced Him.

Devanagari

सिञ्चन्तावश्रुधाराभि: स्‍नेहपाशेन चावृतौ ।
न किञ्चिदूचतू राजन्बाष्पकण्ठौ विमोहितौ ॥ ११ ॥

Text

siñcantāv aśru-dhārābhiḥ
sneha-pāśena cāvṛtau
na kiñcid ūcatū rājan
bāṣpa-kaṇṭhau vimohitau

Synonyms

siñcantau — sprinkling; aśru — of tears; dhārābhiḥ — with showers; sneha — of affection; pāśena — by the rope; ca — and; āvṛtau — enveloped; na — not; kiñcit — anything; ūcatuḥ — they spoke; rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); bāṣpa — (full of) tears; kaṇṭhau — whose throats; vimohitau — overwhelmed.

Translation

Pouring out a shower of tears upon the Lord, His parents, who were bound up by the rope of affection, could not speak. They were overwhelmed, O King, and their throats choked up with tears.

Devanagari

एवमाश्वास्य पितरौ भगवान्देवकीसुत: ।
मातामहं तूग्रसेनं यदूनामकरोन्नृपम् ॥ १२ ॥

Text

evam āśvāsya pitarau
bhagavān devakī-sutaḥ
mātāmahaṁ tūgrasenaṁ
yadūnām akaron ṇṛpam

Synonyms

evam — in this way; āśvāsya — assuring; pitarau — His parents; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; devakī-sutaḥ — the son of Devakī; mātāmaham — His maternal grandfather; tu — and; ugrasenam — Ugrasena; yadūnām — of the Yadus; akarot — He made; nṛpam — King.

Translation

Thus having comforted His mother and father, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appearing as the son of Devakī, installed His maternal grandfather, Ugrasena, as King of the Yadus.

Devanagari

आह चास्मान् महाराज प्रजाश्चाज्ञप्तुमर्हसि ।
ययातिशापाद् यदुभिर्नासितव्यं नृपासने ॥ १३ ॥

Text

āha cāsmān mahā-rāja
prajāś cājñaptum arhasi
yayāti-śāpād yadubhir
nāsitavyaṁ nṛpāsane

Synonyms

āha — He (Lord Kṛṣṇa) said; ca — and; asmān — Us; mahā-rāja — O great King; prajāḥ — your subjects; ca — also; ājñaptum arhasi — please command; yayāti — by the ancient King Yayāti; śāpāt — because of the curse; yadubhiḥ — the Yadus; na āsitavyam — should not sit; nṛpa — royal; āsane — on the throne.

Translation

The Lord told him: O mighty King, We are your subjects, so please command Us. Indeed, because of the curse of Yayāti, no Yadu may sit on the royal throne.

Purport

Ugrasena might have told the Lord, “My dear Lord, it is actually You who should sit on the throne.” Anticipating this statement, Lord Kṛṣṇa told Ugrasena that because of Yayāti’s ancient curse, princes in the Yadu dynasty could technically not sit on the royal throne, and therefore Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were disqualified. Of course, Ugrasena also could be considered part of the Yadu dynasty, but by the order of the Lord he could sit on the royal throne. In conclusion, these were all pastimes the Supreme Lord enjoyed as He played the part of a human being.

Devanagari

मयि भृत्य उपासीने भवतो विबुधादय: ।
बलिं हरन्त्यवनता: किमुतान्ये नराधिपा: ॥ १४ ॥

Text

mayi bhṛtya upāsīne
bhavato vibudhādayaḥ
baliṁ haranty avanatāḥ
kim utānye narādhipāḥ

Synonyms

mayi — when I; bhṛtye — as a servant; upāsīne — am present in attendance; bhavataḥ — to you; vibudha — the demigods; ādayaḥ — and so on; balim — tribute; haranti — will bring; avanatāḥ — bowed down in humility; kim uta — what then to speak of; anye — other; nara — of men; adhipāḥ — rulers.

Translation

Since I am present in your entourage as your personal attendant, all the demigods and other exalted personalities will come with heads bowed to offer you tribute. What, then, to speak of the rulers of men?

Purport

Lord Kṛṣṇa again assures Ugrasena that he should confidently take the throne.

Devanagari

सर्वान्स्वान्ज्ञतिसम्बन्धान्दिग्भ्य: कंसभयाकुलान् ।
यदुवृष्ण्यन्धकमधुदाशार्हकुकुरादिकान् ॥ १५ ॥
सभाजितान् समाश्वास्य विदेशावासकर्शितान् ।
न्यवासयत् स्वगेहेषु वित्तै: सन्तर्प्य विश्वकृत् ॥ १६ ॥

Text

sarvān svān jñati-sambandhān
digbhyaḥ kaṁsa-bhayākulān
yadu-vṛṣṇy-andhaka-madhu
dāśārha-kukurādikān
sabhājitān samāśvāsya
videśāvāsa-karśitān
nyavāsayat sva-geheṣu
vittaiḥ santarpya viśva-kṛt

Synonyms

sarvān — all; svān — His; jñāti — close family members; sambandhān — and other relations; digbhyaḥ — from all directions; kaṁsa-bhaya — by fear of Kaṁsa; ākulān — disturbed; yadu-vṛṣṇi-andhaka-madhu-dāśārha kukura-ādikān — the Yadus, Vṛṣṇis, Andhakas, Madhus, Dāśārhas, Kukuras and so on; sabhājitān — shown honor; samāśvāsya — consoling them; videśa — in foreign regions; āvāsa — by living; karśitān — made weary; nyavāsayat — He settled; sva — in their own; geheṣu — homes; vittaiḥ — with valuable gifts; santarpya — gratifying; viśva — of the universe; kṛt — the maker.

Translation

The Lord then brought all His close family members and other relatives back from the various places to which they had fled in fear of Kaṁsa. He received the Yadus, Vṛṣṇis, Andhakas, Madhus, Dāśārhas, Kukuras and other clans with due honor, and He also consoled them, for they were weary of living in foreign lands. Then Lord Kṛṣṇa, the creator of the universe, resettled them in their homes and gratified them with valuable gifts.

Devanagari

कृष्णसङ्कर्षणभुजैर्गुप्ता लब्धमनोरथा: ।
गृहेषु रेमिरे सिद्धा: कृष्णरामगतज्वरा: ॥ १७ ॥
वीक्षन्तोऽहरह: प्रीता मुकुन्दवदनाम्बुजम् ।
नित्यं प्रमुदितं श्रीमत्सदयस्मितवीक्षणम् ॥ १८ ॥

Text

kṛṣṇa-saṅkarṣaṇa-bhujair
guptā labdha-manorathāḥ
gṛheṣu remire siddhāḥ
kṛṣṇa-rāma-gata-jvarāḥ
vīkṣanto ’har ahaḥ prītā
mukunda-vadanāmbujam
nityaṁ pramuditaṁ śrīmat
sa-daya-smita-vīkṣaṇam

Synonyms

kṛṣṇa-saṅkarṣaṇa — of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; bhujaiḥ — by the arms; guptāḥ — protected; labdha — obtaining; manaḥ-rathāḥ — their desires; gṛheṣu — in their homes; remire — they enjoyed; siddhāḥ — perfectly fulfilled; kṛṣṇa-rāma — because of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; gata — ceased; jvarāḥ — the fever (of material life); vīkṣantaḥ — seeing; ahaḥ ahaḥ — day after day; prītāḥ — loving; mukunda — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; vadana — the face; ambujam — lotuslike; nityam — always; pramuditam — cheerful; śrīmat — beautiful; sa-daya — merciful; smita — smiling; vīkṣaṇam — with glances.

Translation

The members of these clans, protected by the arms of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, felt that all their desires were fulfilled. Thus they enjoyed perfect happiness while living at home with their families. Because of the presence of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, they no longer suffered from the fever of material existence. Every day these loving devotees could see Mukunda’s ever-cheerful lotus face, which was decorated with beautiful, merciful smiling glances.

Devanagari

तत्र प्रवयसोऽप्यासन् युवानोऽतिबलौजस: ।
पिबन्तोऽक्षैर्मुकुन्दस्य मुखाम्बुजसुधां मुहु: ॥ १९ ॥

Text

tatra pravayaso ’py āsan
yuvāno ’ti-balaujasaḥ
pibanto ’kṣair mukundasya
mukhāmbuja-sudhāṁ muhuḥ

Synonyms

tatra — there (in Mathurā); pravayasaḥ — the most elderly; api — even; āsan — were; yuvānaḥ — youthful; ati — having abundant; bala — strength; ojasaḥ — and vitality; pibantaḥ — drinking; akṣaiḥ — with their eyes; mukundasya — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; mukha-ambuja — of the lotus face; sudhām — the nectar; muhuḥ — repeatedly.

Translation

Even the most elderly inhabitants of the city appeared youthful, full of strength and vitality, for with their eyes they constantly drank the elixir of Lord Mukunda’s lotus face.

Devanagari

अथ नन्दं समसाद्य भगवान् देवकीसुत: ।
सङ्कर्षणश्च राजेन्द्र परिष्वज्येदमूचतु: ॥ २० ॥

Text

atha nandaṁ samasādya
bhagavān devakī-sutaḥ
saṅkarṣaṇaś ca rājendra
pariṣvajyedam ūcatuḥ

Synonyms

atha — then; nandam — Nanda Mahārāja; samāsādya — approaching; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; devakī-sutaḥ — Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī; saṅkarṣaṇaḥ — Lord Balarāma; ca — and; rāja-indra — O exalted King (Parīkṣit); pariṣvajya — embracing him; idam — this; ūcatuḥ — They said.

Translation

Then, O exalted Parīkṣit, the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī, along with Lord Balarāma, approached Nanda Mahārāja. The two Lords embraced him and then addressed him as follows.

Devanagari

पितर्युवाभ्यां स्‍निग्धाभ्यां पोषितौ लालितौ भृशम् ।
पित्रोरभ्यधिका प्रीतिरात्मजेष्वात्मनोऽपि हि ॥ २१ ॥

Text

pitar yuvābhyāṁ snigdhābhyāṁ
poṣitau lālitau bhṛśam
pitror abhyadhikā prītir
ātmajeṣv ātmano ’pi hi

Synonyms

pitaḥ — O Father; yuvābhyām — by you two; snigdhābhyām — affectionate; poṣitau — maintained; lālitau — coddled; bhṛśam — thoroughly; pitroḥ — for parents; abhyadhikā — greater; prītiḥ — love; ātmajeṣu — for their children; ātmanaḥ — than for themselves; api — even; hi — indeed.

Translation

[Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma said:] O Father, you and mother Yaśodā have affectionately maintained Us and cared for Us so much! Indeed, parents love their children more than their own lives.

Devanagari

स पिता सा च जननी यौ पुष्णीतां स्वपुत्रवत् ।
शिशून् बन्धुभिरुत्सृष्टानकल्पै: पोषरक्षणे ॥ २२ ॥

Text

sa pitā sā ca jananī
yau puṣṇītāṁ sva-putra-vat
śiśūn bandhubhir utsṛṣṭān
akalpaiḥ poṣa-rakṣaṇe

Synonyms

saḥ — he; pitā — father; — she; ca — and; jananī — mother; yau — who; puṣṇītām — nourish; sva — their own; putra — sons; vat — like; śiśūn — children; bandhubhiḥ — by their family; utsṛṣṭān — abandoned; akalpaiḥ — who are unable; poṣa — to maintain; rakṣaṇe — and protect.

Translation

They are the real father and mother who care for, as they would their own sons, children abandoned by relatives unable to maintain and protect them.

Devanagari

यात यूयं व्रजं तात वयं च स्‍नेहदु:खितान् ।
ज्ञातीन् वो द्रष्टुमेष्यामो विधाय सुहृदां सुखम् ॥ २३ ॥

Text

yāta yūyaṁ vrajaṁn tāta
vayaṁ ca sneha-duḥkhitān
jñātīn vo draṣṭum eṣyāmo
vidhāya suhṛdāṁ sukham

Synonyms

yata — please go; yūyam — all of you (cowherds); vrajam — to Vraja; tāta — My dear father; vayam — We; ca — and; sneha — due to loving affection; duḥkhitān — miserable; jñātīn — relatives; vaḥ — you; draṣṭum — to see; eṣyāmaḥ — will come; vidhāya — after bestowing; suhṛdām — to your loving friends; sukham — happiness.

Translation

Now you should all return to Vraja, dear Father. We shall come to see you, Our dear relatives who suffer in separation from Us, as soon as We have given some happiness to your well-wishing friends.

Purport

The Lord here indicates His desire to satisfy His dear devotees in Mathurā — Vasudeva, Devakī and other members of the Yadu dynasty — who for so long had been separated from Him during His stay in Vṛndāvana.

Devanagari

एवं सान्‍त्‍वय्य भगवान् नन्दं सव्रजमच्युत: ।
वासोऽलङ्कारकुप्याद्यैरर्हयामास सादरम् ॥ २४ ॥

Text

evaṁ sāntvayya bhagavān
nandaṁ sa-vrajam acyutaḥ
vāso-’laṅkāra-kupyādyair
arhayām āsa sādaram

Synonyms

evam — in this manner; sāntvayya — consoling; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nandam — King Nanda; sa-vrajam — together with the other men of Vraja; acyutaḥ — the infallible Lord; vāsaḥ — with clothing; alaṅkāra — jewelry; kupya — vessels made of metals other than gold or silver; ādyaiḥ — and so on; arhayām āsa — He honored them; sa-ādaram — respectfully.

Translation

Thus consoling Nanda Mahārāja and the other men of Vraja, the infallible Supreme Lord respectfully honored them with gifts of clothing, jewelry, household utensils and so on.

Devanagari

इत्युक्तस्तौ परिष्वज्य नन्द: प्रणयविह्वल: ।
पूरयन्नश्रुभिर्नेत्रे सह गोपैर्व्रजं ययौ ॥ २५ ॥

Text

ity uktas tau pariṣvajya
nandaḥ praṇaya-vihvalaḥ
pūrayann aśrubhir netre
saha gopair vrajaṁ yayau

Synonyms

iti — thus; uktaḥ — addressed; tau — the two of Them; pariṣvajya — embracing; nandaḥ — Nanda Mahārāja; praṇaya — with affection; vihvalaḥ — overwhelmed; pūrayan — filling; aśrubhiḥ — with tears; netre — his eyes; saha — together with; gopaiḥ — the cowherds; vrajam — to Vraja; yayau — went.

Translation

Nanda Mahārāja was overwhelmed with affection upon hearing Kṛṣṇa’s words, and his eyes brimmed with tears as he embraced the two Lords. Then he went back to Vraja with the cowherd men.

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī has written an extensive purport to this verse, elaborately analyzing this portion of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. Just as a man places his valuable gold within fire to reveal its purity, the Lord placed His most beloved devotees, the residents of Vṛndāvana, in the fire of separation from Him in order to manifest their supreme love. This is the essence of Ācārya Viśvanātha’s comments.

Devanagari

अथ शूरसुतो राजन् पुत्रयो: समकारयत् ।
पुरोधसा ब्राह्मणैश्च यथावद् द्विजसंस्कृतिम् ॥ २६ ॥

Text

atha śūra-suto rājan
putrayoḥ samakārayat
purodhasā brāhmaṇaiś ca
yathāvad dvija-saṁskṛtim

Synonyms

atha — then; śūra-sutaḥ — the son of Śūrasena (Vasudeva); rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); putrayoḥ — of his two sons; samakārayat — had performed; purodhasā — by a priest; brāhmaṇaiḥ — by brāhmaṇas; ca — and; yathā-vat — properly; dvija-saṁskṛtim — second-birth initiation.

Translation

My dear King, then Vasudeva, the son of Śūrasena, arranged for a priest and other brāhmaṇas to perform his two sons’ second-birth initiation.

Devanagari

तेभ्योऽदाद्दक्षिणा गावो रुक्‍ममाला: स्वलङ्कृता: ।
स्वलङ्कृतेभ्य: सम्पूज्य सवत्सा: क्षौममालिनी: ॥ २७ ॥

Text

tebhyo ’dād dakṣiṇā gāvo
rukma-mālāḥ sv-alaṅkṛtāḥ
sv-alaṅkṛtebhyaḥ sampūjya
sa-vatsāḥ kṣauma-mālinīḥ

Synonyms

tebhyaḥ — to them (the brāhmaṇas); adāt — he gave; dakṣiṇāḥ — gifts in remuneration; gāvaḥ — cows; rukma — of gold; mālāḥ — with necklaces; su — well; alaṅkṛtāḥ — ornamented; su-alaṅkṛtebhyaḥ — to the well-ornamented (brāhmaṇas); sampūjya — worshiping them; sa — having; vatsāḥ — calves; kṣauma — of linen; mālinīḥ — wearing garlands.

Translation

Vasudeva honored these brāhmaṇas by worshiping them and giving them fine ornaments and well-ornamented cows with their calves. All these cows wore gold necklaces and linen wreaths.

Devanagari

या: कृष्णरामजन्मर्क्षे मनोदत्ता महामति: ।
ताश्चाददादनुस्मृत्य कंसेनाधर्मतो हृता: ॥ २८ ॥

Text

yāḥ kṛṣṇa-rāma-janmarkṣe
mano-dattā mahā-matiḥ
tāś cādadād anusmṛtya
kaṁsenādharmato hṛtāḥ

Synonyms

yaḥ — which (cows); kṛṣṇa-rāma — of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; janmaṛkṣe — on the day of birth; manaḥ — in his mind; dattāḥ — given in charity; mahā-matiḥ — the magnanimous (Vasudeva); tāḥ — them; ca — and; ādadāt — he gave; anusmṛtya — remembering; kaṁsena — by Kaṁsa; adharmataḥ — impiously; hṛtaḥ — taken away.

Translation

The magnanimous Vasudeva then remembered the cows he had mentally given away on the occasion of Kṛṣṇa’s and Balarāma’s birth. Kaṁsa had stolen those cows, and Vasudeva now recovered them and gave them away in charity also.

Purport

At the time of Kṛṣṇa’s appearance, Vasudeva had been imprisoned by Kaṁsa, who had stolen all his cows. Still, Vasudeva had been so jubilant at the birth of the Lord that he had mentally donated ten thousand of his cows to the brāhmaṇas.

Now, upon Kaṁsa’s death, Vasudeva took back all his cows from the late King’s herd and gave ten thousand of them, according to religious principles, to the worthy brāhmaṇas.

Devanagari

ततश्च लब्धसंस्कारौ द्विजत्वं प्राप्य सुव्रतौ ।
गर्गाद् यदुकुलाचार्याद्गायत्रं व्रतमास्थितौ ॥ २९ ॥

Text

tataś ca labdha-saṁskārau
dvijatvaṁ prāpya su-vratau
gargād yadu-kulācāryād
gāyatraṁ vratam āsthitau

Synonyms

tataḥ — then; ca — and; labdha — having received; saṁskārau — initiation (Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma); dvijatvam — twice-born status; prāpya — attaining; su-vratau — sincere in Their vows; gargāt — from Garga Muni; yadu-kula — of the Yadu dynasty; ācāryāt — from the spiritual master; gāyatram — of celibacy; vratam — the vow; āsthitau — assumed.

Translation

After attaining twice-born status through initiation, the Lords, sincere in Their vows, took the further vow of celibacy from Garga Muni, the spiritual master of the Yadus.

Purport

Both Śrīdhara Svāmī and Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explain the term gāyatraṁ vratam as the vow of brahmacarya, or celibacy in student life. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were playing the part of perfect students on the path of self-realization. Of course, in the modern, degraded age, student life has become a wild, animalistic affair filled with illicit sex and drugs.

Devanagari

प्रभवौ सर्वविद्यानां सर्वज्ञौ जगदीश्वरौ ।
नान्यसिद्धामलं ज्ञानं गूहमानौ नरेहितै: ॥ ३० ॥
अथो गुरुकुले वासमिच्छन्तावुपजग्मतु: ।
काश्यं सान्दीपनिं नाम ह्यवन्तिपुरवासिनम् ॥ ३१ ॥

Text

prabhavau sarva-vidyānāṁ
sarva-jñau jagad-īśvarau
nānya-siddhāmalaṁ jñānaṁ
gūhamānau narehitaiḥ
atho gurukule vāsam
icchantāv upajagmatuḥ
kāśyaṁ sāndīpaniṁ nāma
hy avanti-pura-vāsinam

Synonyms

prabhavau — They who were the origin; sarva — of all varieties; vidyānām — of knowledge; sarva-jñau — omniscient; jagat-īśvarau — the Lords of the universe; na — not; anya — from any other source; siddha — achieved; amalam — impeccable; jñānam — knowledge; gūhamānau — hiding; nara — humanlike; īhitaiḥ — by Their activities; atha u — then; guru — of the spiritual master; kule — in the school; vāsam — residence; icchantau — desiring; upajagatuḥ — They approached; kāśyam — the native of Kāśī (Benares); sāndīpanim nāma — named Sāndīpani; hi — indeed; avanti-pura — in the city of Avantī (modern Ujjain); vāsinam — living.

Translation

Concealing Their innately perfect knowledge by Their humanlike activities, those two omniscient Lords of the universe, Themselves the origin of all branches of knowledge, next desired to reside at the school of a spiritual master. Thus They approached Sāndīpani Muni, a native of Kāsī living in the city of Avantī.

Devanagari

यथोपसाद्य तौ दान्तौ गुरौ वृत्तिमनिन्दिताम् ।
ग्राहयन्तावुपेतौ स्म भक्त्या देवमिवाद‍ृतौ ॥ ३२ ॥

Text

yathopasādya tau dāntau
gurau vṛttim aninditām
grāhayantāv upetau sma
bhaktyā devam ivādṛtau

Synonyms

yathā — fittingly; upasādya — obtaining; tau — Them; dāntau — who were self-controlled; gurau — to one’s spiritual master; vṛttim — service; aninditām — irreproachable; grāhayantau — making others take to; upetau — approaching for service; sma — indeed; bhaktyā — with devotion; devam — the Supreme Lord; iva — as if; ādṛtau — respected (by the guru).

Translation

Sāndīpani thought very highly of these two self-controlled disciples, whom he had obtained so fortuitously. By serving him as devotedly as one would serve the Supreme Lord Himself, They showed others an irreproachable example of how to worship the spiritual master.

Devanagari

तयोर्द्विजवरस्तुष्ट: शुद्धभावानुवृत्तिभि: ।
प्रोवाच वेदानखिलान्सङ्गोपनिषदो गुरु: ॥ ३३ ॥

Text

tayor dvija-varas tuṣṭaḥ
śuddha-bhāvānuvṛttibhiḥ
provāca vedān akhilān
sāṅgopaniṣado guruḥ

Synonyms

tayoḥ — Their; dvija-varaḥ — the best of brāhmaṇas (Sāndīpani); tuṣṭaḥ — satisfied; śuddha — pure; bhāva — with love; anuvṛttibhiḥ — by the submissive acts; provāca — he spoke; vedān — the Vedas; akhilān — all; sa — together with; aṅga — the (six) corollary literatures; upaniṣadaḥ — and the Upaniṣads; guruḥ — the spiritual master.

Translation

That best of brāhmaṇas, the spiritual master Sāndīpani, was satisfied with Their submissive behavior, and thus he taught Them the entire Vedas, together with their six corollaries and the Upaniṣads.

Devanagari

सरहस्यं धनुर्वेदं धर्मान् न्यायपथांस्तथा ।
तथा चान्वीक्षिकीं विद्यां राजनीतिं च षड्‍‍विधाम् ॥ ३४ ॥

Text

sa-rahasyaṁ dhanur-vedaṁ
dharmān nyāya-pathāṁs tathā
tathā cānvīkṣikīṁ vidyāṁ
rāja-nītiṁ ca ṣaḍ-vidhām

Synonyms

sa-rahasyam — along with its confidential portion; dhanuḥ-vedam — the science of military weapons; dharmān — the doctrines of human law; nyāya — of logic; pathān — the methods; tathā — also; tathā ca — and similarly; ānvīkṣikīm — of philosophical debate; vidyām — the branch of knowledge; rāja-nītim — political science; ca — and; ṣaṭ-vidhām — in six aspects.

Translation

He also taught Them the Dhanur-veda, with its most confidential secrets; the standard books of law; the methods of logical reasoning and philosophical debate; and the sixfold science of politics.

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that the confidential portion of the Dhanur-veda, military science, includes knowledge of the appropriate mantras and presiding deities of warfare. Dharmān refers to the Manu-saṁhitā and other standard lawbooks (dharma-śāstras). Nyāya-pathān refers to the doctrine of Karma-mīmāṁsā and other such theories. Ānvīkṣikīm is knowledge of the techniques of logical argument (tarka). The sixfold political science is quite pragmatic and includes (1) sandhi, making peace; (2) vigraha, war; (3) yāna, marching; (4) āsana, sitting tight; (5) dvaidha, dividing one’s forces; and (6) saṁśaya, seeking the protection of a more powerful ruler.

Devanagari

सर्वं नरवरश्रेष्ठौ सर्वविद्याप्रवर्तकौ ।
सकृन्निगदमात्रेण तौ सञ्जगृहतुर्नृप ॥ ३५ ॥
अहोरात्रैश्चतु:षष्‍ट्या संयत्तौ तावती: कला: ।
गुरुदक्षिणयाचार्यं छन्दयामासतुर्नृप ॥ ३६ ॥

Text

sarvaṁ nara-vara-śreṣṭhau
sarva-vidyā-pravartakau
sakṛn nigada-mātreṇa
tau sañjagṛhatur nṛpa
aho-rātraiś catuḥ-ṣaṣṭyā
saṁyattau tāvatīḥ kalāḥ
guru-dakṣiṇayācāryaṁ
chandayām āsatur nṛpa

Synonyms

sarvam — everything; nara-vara — of first-class men; śreṣṭhau — the best; sarva — of all; vidyā — branches of knowledge; pravartakau — the initiators; sakṛt — once; nigada — being related; mātreṇa — simply; tau — They; sañjagṛhatuḥ — fully assimilated; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit); ahaḥ — in days; rātraiḥ — and nights; catuḥ-ṣaṣṭyā — sixty-four; saṁyattau — fixed in concentration; tāvatīḥ — that many; kalāḥ — arts; guru-dakṣiṇayā — with the traditional gift for the spiritual master before one leaves him; ācāryam — Their teacher; chandayām āsatuḥ — They satisfied; nṛpa — O King.

Translation

O King, those best of persons, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, being Themselves the original promulgators of all varieties of knowledge, could immediately assimilate each and every subject after hearing it explained just once. Thus with fixed concentration They learned the sixty-four arts and skills in as many days and nights. Thereafter, O King, They satisfied Their spiritual master by offering him guru-dakṣiṇā.

Purport

The following list comprises the sixty-four subjects mastered by Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma in sixty-four days. Additional information may be found in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The Lords learned (1) gītam, singing; (2) vādyam, playing on musical instruments; (3) nṛtyam, dancing; (4) nāṭyam, drama; (5) ālekhyam, painting; (6) viśeṣaka-cchedyam, painting the face and body with colored unguents and cosmetics; (7) taṇḍula-kusuma-bali-vikārāḥ, preparing auspicious designs on the floor with rice and flowers; (8) puṣpāstaraṇam, making a bed of flowers; (9) daśana-vasanāṅga-rāgāḥ, coloring one’s teeth, clothes and limbs; (10) maṇi-bhūmikā-karma, inlaying a floor with jewels; (11) śayyā-racanam, covering a bed; (12) udaka-vādyam, ringing waterpots; (13) udaka-ghātaḥ, splashing with water; (14) citra-yogāḥ, mixing colors; (15) mālya-grathana-vikalpāḥ, preparing wreaths; (16) śekharāpīḍa-yojanam, setting a helmet on the head; (17) nepathya-yogāḥ, putting on apparel in a dressing room; (18) karṇa-patra-bhaṅgāḥ, decorating the earlobe; (19) sugandha-yuktiḥ, applying aromatics; (20) bhūṣaṇa-yojanam, decorating with jewelry; (21) aindrajālam, jugglery; (22) kaucumāra-yogaḥ, the art of disguise; (23) hasta-lāghavam, sleight of hand; (24) citra-śākāpūpa-bhakṣya-vikāra-kriyaḥ, preparing varieties of salad, bread, cake and other delicious food; (25) pānaka-rasa-rāgāsava-yojanam, preparing palatable drinks and tinging draughts with red color; (26) sūcī-vāya-karma, needlework and weaving; (27) sūtra-krīḍā, making puppets dance by manipulating thin threads; (28) vīṇā-ḍamarukavādyāni, playing on a lute and a small x-shaped drum; (29) prahelikā, making and solving riddles; (29a) pratimālā, capping verses, or reciting poems verse for verse as a trial of memory or skill; (30) durvacaka-yogāḥ, uttering statements difficult for others to answer; (31) pustaka-vācanam, reciting books; and (32) nāṭikākhyāyikā-darśanam, enacting short plays and writing anecdotes.

Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma also learned (33) kāvya-samasyā-pūraṇam, solving enigmatic verses; (34) paṭṭikā-vetra-bāṇa-vikalpāḥ, making a bow from a strip of cloth and a stick; (35) tarku-karma, spinning with a spindle; (36) takṣaṇam, carpentry; (37) vāstu-vidyā, architecture; (38) raupya-ratna-parīkṣā, testing silver and jewels; (39) dhātu-vādaḥ, metallurgy; (40) maṇi-rāga-jñānam, tinging jewels with various colors; (41) ākara-jñānam, mineralogy; (42) vṛkṣāyur-veda-yogāḥ, herbal medicine; (43) meṣa-kukkuṭa-lāvaka-yuddha-vidhiḥ, the art of training and engaging rams, cocks and quails in fighting; (44) śuka-śārikā-pralāpanam, knowledge of how to train male and female parrots to speak and to answer the questions of human beings; (45) utsādanam, healing a person with ointments; (46) keśa-mārjana-kauśalam, hairdressing; (47) akṣara-muṣṭikā-kathanam, telling what is written in a book without seeing it, and telling what is hidden in another’s fist; (48) mlecchita-kutarka-vikalpāḥ, fabricating barbarous or foreign sophistry; (49) deśa-bhāṣā-jñānam, knowledge of provincial dialects; (50) puṣpa-śakaṭikā-nirmiti-jñānam, knowledge of how to build toy carts with flowers; (51) yantra-mātṛkā, composing magic squares, arrangements of numbers adding up to the same total in all directions; (52) dhāraṇa-mātṛkā, the use of amulets; (53) saṁvācyam, conversation; (54) mānasī-kāvya-kriyā, composing verses mentally; (55) kriyā-vikalpāḥ, designing a literary work or a medical remedy; (56) chalitaka-yogāḥ, building shrines; (57) abhidhāna-koṣa-cchando-jñānam, lexicography and the knowledge of poetic meters; (58) vastra-gopanam, disguising one kind of cloth to look like another; (59) dyūta-viśeṣam, knowledge of various forms of gambling; (so) ākarṣa-krīḍa, playing dice; (61) bālaka-krīḍanakam, playing with children’s toys; (62) vaināyikī vidyā, enforcing discipline by mystic power; (63) vaijayikī vidyā, gaining victory; and (64) vaitālikī vidyā, awakening one’s master with music at dawn.

Devanagari

द्विजस्तयोस्तं महिमानमद्भ‍ुतं
संलक्ष्य राजन्नतिमानुषीं मतिम् ।
सम्मन्‍त्र्य पत्न्‍या स महार्णवे मृतं
बालं प्रभासे वरयां बभूव ह ॥ ३७ ॥

Text

dvijas tayos taṁ mahimānam adbhutaṁ
saṁlokṣya rājann ati-mānusīṁ matim
sammantrya patnyā sa mahārṇave mṛtaṁ
bālaṁ prabhāse varayāṁ babhūva ha

Synonyms

dvijaḥ — the learned brāhmaṇa; tayoḥ — of the two of Them; tam — that; mahimānam — greatness; adbhutam — amazing; saṁlakṣya — observing well; rājan — O King; ati-mānuṣīm — beyond human capacity; matim — intelligence; sammantrya — after consulting; patnyā — with his wife; saḥ — he; mahā-arṇave — in the great ocean; mṛtam — who had died; bālam — his child; prabhāse — at the holy place Prabhāsa; varayām babhūva ha — he chose.

Translation

O King, the learned brāhmaṇa Sāndīpani carefully considered the two Lords’ glorious and amazing qualities and Their superhuman intelligence. Then, after consulting with his wife, he chose as his remuneration the return of his young son, who had died in the ocean at Prabhāsa.

Purport

According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, the child was captured by the conchshell demon while playing at the Mahā-śiva-kṣetra.

Devanagari

तथेत्यथारुह्य महारथौ रथं
प्रभासमासाद्य दुरन्तविक्रमौ ।
वेलामुपव्रज्य निषीदतु: क्षणं
सिन्धुर्विदित्वार्हणमाहरत्तयो: ॥ ३८ ॥

Text

tethety athāruhya mahā-rathau rathaṁ
prabhāsam āsādya duranta-vikramau
velām upavrajya niṣīdatuḥ kṣanaṁ
sindhur viditvārhanam āharat tayoḥ

Synonyms

tathā — so be it; iti — saying this; atha — then; āruhya — mounting; mahā-rathau — the two great chariot warriors; ratham — a chariot; prabhāsam — Prabhāsa-tīrtha; āsādya — reaching; duranta — limitless; vikramau — whose prowess; velām — up to the shore; upavrajya — walking; niṣīdatuḥ — They sat down; kṣaṇam — for a moment; sindhuḥ — the (presiding demigod of the) ocean; viditvā — recognizing; arhaṇam — respectful offering; āharat — brought; tayoḥ — for Them.

Translation

“So be it,” replied those two great chariot warriors of limitless might, and They at once mounted Their chariot and set off for Prabhāsa. When They reached that place, They walked up to the shore and sat down. In a moment the deity of the ocean, recognizing Them to be the Supreme Lords, approached Them with offerings of tribute.

Purport

Western scholars sometimes think that references in ancient books of wisdom to the deity of the ocean, the deity of the sun and so on reveal a primitive, mythical way of thinking. They sometimes say that primitive men think that the ocean is a god or that the sun and moon are gods. In fact, references such as the word sindhu in this verse, meaning “the ocean,” indicate the person who governs that aspect of physical nature.

We can give several modern examples. In the United Nations we may say, “The United States votes ‘Yes,’ the Soviet Union votes ‘No.’” We hardly mean that the physical countries or the buildings in them have voted. We mean that a particular person, representing that political and geographical entity, has voted. Yet the newspapers will simply say, “The United States voted, decided, etc.” and everyone knows what that means.

Similarly, in business we may say, “A large conglomerate has swallowed up a smaller firm.” We hardly mean that the buildings, office equipment and the like have physically swallowed another building full of workers and office equipment. We mean that the empowered authorities have engaged in a particular act on behalf of their respective corporate entities.

Unfortunately, modern scholars are eager to confirm their pet theories that ancient spiritual wisdom is primitive, mythic and largely supplanted by more modern ways of thinking, exemplified by their own eloquent remarks. However, much in modern scholarship must be rethought in the light of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Devanagari

तमाह भगवानाशु गुरुपुत्र: प्रदीयताम् ।
योऽसाविह त्वया ग्रस्तो बालको महतोर्मिणा ॥ ३९ ॥

Text

tam āha bhagavān āśu
guru-putraḥ pradīyatām
yo ’sāv iha tvayā grasto
bālako mahatormiṇā

Synonyms

tam — to him; āha — said; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; āśu — quickly; guru — of My spiritual master; putraḥ — the son; pradīyatām — must be presented; yaḥ — who; asau — he; iha — in this place; tvayā — by you; grastaḥ — seized; bālakaḥ — a young boy; mahatā — mighty; ūrmiṇā — by your wave.

Translation

The Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa addressed the lord of the ocean: Let the son of My guru be presented at once — the one you seized here with your mighty waves.

Devanagari

श्रीसमुद्र उवाच
न चाहार्षमहं देव दैत्य: पञ्चजनो महान् ।
अन्तर्जलचर: कृष्ण शङ्खरूपधरोऽसुर: ॥ ४० ॥

Text

śrī-samudra uvāca
na cāhārṣam ahaṁ deva
daityaḥ pañcajano mahān
antar-jala-caraḥ kṛṣṇa
śaṅkha-rūpa-dharo ’suraḥ

Synonyms

śrī-samudraḥ uvāca — the ocean personified said; na — not; ca — and; ahārṣam — did take (him) away; aham — I; deva — O Lord; daityaḥ — a descendant of Diti; pañcajanaḥ — named Pañcajana; mahān — powerful; antaḥ — within; jala — the water; caraḥ — going; kṛṣṇa — O Kṛṣṇa; śaṅkha — of a conch; rūpa — the form; dharaḥ — assuming; asuraḥ — the demon.

Translation

The ocean replied: O Lord Kṛṣṇa, it was not I who abducted him, but a demonic descendant of Diti named Pañcajana, who travels in the water in the form of a conch.

Purport

Clearly the demon Pañcajana was too powerful for the ocean to control; otherwise the ocean would have prevented such an unlawful act.

Devanagari

आस्ते तेनाहृतो नूनं तच्छ्रुत्वा सत्वरं प्रभु: ।
जलमाविश्य तं हत्वा नापश्यदुदरेऽर्भकम् ॥ ४१ ॥

Text

āste tenāhṛto nūnaṁ
tac chrutvā satvaraṁ prabhuḥ
jalam āviśya taṁ hatvā
nāpaśyad udare ’rbhakam

Synonyms

āste — he is there; tena — by him, Pañcajana; āhṛtaḥ — taken away; nūnam — indeed; tat — that; śrutvā — hearing; satvaram — with haste; prabhuḥ — the Lord; jalam — the water; āviśya — entering; tam — him, the demon; hatvā — killing; na apaśyat — did not see; udare — in his abdomen; arbhakam — the boy.

Translation

“Indeed,” the ocean said, “that demon has taken him away.” Hearing this, Lord Kṛṣṇa entered the ocean, found Pañcajana and killed him. But the Lord did not find the boy within the demon’s belly.

Devanagari

तदङ्गप्रभवं शङ्खमादाय रथमागमत् ।
तत: संयमनीं नाम यमस्य दयितां पुरीम् ॥ ४२ ॥
गत्वा जनार्दन: शङ्खं प्रदध्मौ सहलायुध: ।
शङ्खनिर्ह्रादमाकर्ण्य प्रजासंयमनो यम: ॥ ४३ ॥
तयो: सपर्यां महतीं चक्रे भक्त्युपबृंहिताम् ।
उवाचावनत: कृष्णं सर्वभूताशयालयम् ।
लीलामनुष्ययोर्विष्णो युवयो: करवाम किम् ॥ ४४ ॥

Text

tad-aṅga-prabhavaṁ śaṅkham
ādāya ratham āgamat
tataḥ saṁyamanīṁ nāma
yamasya dayitāṁ purīm
gatvā janārdanaḥ śaṅkhaṁ
pradadhmau sa-halāyudhaḥ
śaṅkha-nirhrādam ākarṇya
prajā-saṁyamano yamaḥ
tayoḥ saparyāṁ mahatīṁ
cakre bhakty-upabṛṁhitām
uvācāvanataḥ kṛṣṇaṁ
sarva-bhūtāśayālayam
līlā-manuṣyayor viṣṇo
yuvayoḥ karavāma kim

Synonyms

tat — his (the demon’s); aṅga — from the body; prabhavam — grown; śaṅkham — the conchshell; ādāya — taking; ratham — to the chariot; āgamat — He returned; tataḥ — then; saṁyamanīm nāma — known as Saṁyamanī; yamasya — of Lord Yamarāja; dayitām — beloved; purīm — to the city; gatvā — going; jana-ardanaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa, the abode of all persons; śaṅkham — the conchshell; pradadhmau — blew loudly; sa — accompanied by; hala-āyudhaḥ — Lord Balarāma, whose weapon is a plow; śaṅkha — of the conchshell; nirhrādam — the resounding; ākarṇya — hearing; prajā — of those who take birth; saṁyamanaḥ — the restrainer; yamaḥ — Yamarāja; tayoḥ — of Them; saparyām — worship; mahatīm — elaborate; cakre — performed; bhakti — with devotion; upabṛṁhitām — overflowing; uvāca — he said; avanataḥ — bowing down humbly; kṛṣṇam — to Lord Kṛṣṇa; sarva — of all; bhūta — living beings; āśaya — the minds; ālayam — whose residence; līlā — as Your pastime; manuṣyayoḥ — appearing as human beings; viṣṇo — O Supreme Lord Viṣṇu; yuvayoḥ — for the two of You; karavāma — I should do; kim — what.

Translation

Lord Janārdana took the conchshell that had grown around the demon’s body and went back to the chariot. Then He proceeded to Saṁyamanī, the beloved capital of Yamarāja, the lord of death. Upon arriving there with Lord Balarāma, He loudly blew His conchshell, and Yamarāja, who keeps the conditioned souls in check, came as soon as he heard the resounding vibration. Yamarāja elaborately worshiped the two Lords with great devotion, and then he addressed Lord Kṛṣṇa, who lives in everyone’s heart: “O Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, what shall I do for You and Lord Balarāma, who are playing the part of ordinary humans?”

Purport

The conchshell the Lord took from Pañcajana, which is called Pāñcajanya, is the same one He sounded at the beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā. According to the ācāryas, Pañcajana had become a demon in a way similar to that of Jaya and Vijaya. In other words, though appearing in the form of a demon, he was actually a devotee of the Lord. The Skanda Purāṇa, Avanti-khaṇḍa, describes the wonderful things that happened when Lord Kṛṣṇa sounded His conchshell:

asipatra-vanaṁ nāma
śīrṇa-patram ajāyata
rauravaṁ nāma narakam
arauravam abhūt tada
abhairavaṁ bhairavākhyaṁ
kumbhī-pākam apācakam

“The hell known as Asipatra-vana lost the sharp, swordlike leaves on its trees, and the hell named Raurava became free of its ruru beasts. The Bhairava hell lost its fearfulness, and all cooking stopped in the Kumbhīpāka hell.”

The Skanda Purāṇa further states:

pāpa-kṣayāt tataḥ sarve
vimuktā nārakā narāḥ
padam avyayam āsādya

“Their sinful reactions eradicated, all the inhabitants of hell attained liberation and approached the spiritual world.”

Devanagari

श्रीभगवानुवाच
गुरुपुत्रमिहानीतं निजकर्मनिबन्धनम् ।
आनयस्व महाराज मच्छासनपुरस्कृत: ॥ ४५ ॥

Text

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
guru-putram ihānītaṁ
nija-karma-nibandhanam
ānayasva mahā-rāja
mac-chāsana-puraskṛtaḥ

Synonyms

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Lord said; guru-putram — the son of My spiritual master; iha — here; ānītam — brought; nija — his own; karma — of reactions of past activity; nibandhanam — suffering the bondage; ānayasva — please bring; mahā-rāja — O great King; mat — My; śāsana — to the command; puraḥ-kṛtaḥ — giving first priority.

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Suffering the bondage of his past activity, My spiritual master’s son was brought here to you. O great King, obey My command and bring this boy to Me without delay.

Devanagari

तथेति तेनोपानीतं गुरुपुत्रं यदूत्तमौ ।
दत्त्वा स्वगुरवे भूयो वृणीष्वेति तमूचतु: ॥ ४६ ॥

Text

tatheti tenopānītaṁ
guru-putraṁ yadūttamau
dattvā sva-gurave bhūyo
vṛṇīṣveti tam ūcatuḥ

Synonyms

tathā — so be it; iti — (Yamarāja) thus saying; tena — by him; upānītam — brought forward; guru-putram — the spiritual master’s son; yadu-uttamau — the best of the Yadus, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; dattvā — giving; sva-gurave — to Their guru; bhūyaḥ — again; vṛṇīṣva — please choose; iti — thus; tam — to him; ūcatuḥ — They said.

Translation

Yamarāja said, “So be it,” and brought forth the guru’s son. Then those two most exalted Yadus presented the boy to Their spiritual master and said to him, “Please select another boon.”

Devanagari

श्रीगुरुरुवाच
सम्यक् सम्पादितो वत्स भवद्भ‍य‍ां गुरुनिष्क्रय: ।
को नु युष्मद्विधगुरो: कामानामवशिष्यते ॥ ४७ ॥

Text

śrī-gurur uvāca
samyak sampādito vatsa
bhavadbhyāṁ guru-niṣkrayaḥ
ko nu yuṣmad-vidha-guroḥ
kāmānām avaśiṣyate

Synonyms

śrī-guruḥ uvāca — Their spiritual master, Sāndīpani Muni, said; samyak — completely; sampāditaḥ — fulfilled; vatsa — my dear boy; bhavadbhyām — by You two; guru-niṣkrayaḥ — the remuneration of one’s guru; kaḥ — which; nu — indeed; yuṣmat-vidha — of persons like You; guroḥ — for the spiritual master; kāmānām — of his desires; avaśiṣyate — remains.

Translation

The spiritual master said: My dear boys, You two have completely fulfilled the disciple’s obligation to reward his spiritual master. Indeed, with disciples like You, what further desires could a guru have?

Devanagari

गच्छतं स्वगृहं वीरौ कीर्तिर्वामस्तु पावनी ।
छन्दांस्ययातयामानि भवन्‍त्‍विह परत्र च ॥ ४८ ॥

Text

gacchataṁ sva-gṛhaṁ vīrau
kīrtir vām astu pāvanī
chandāṁsy ayāta-yāmāni
bhavantv iha paratra ca

Synonyms

gacchatam — please go; sva-gṛham — to Your home; vīrau — O heroes; kīrtiḥ — fame; vām — Your; astu — may it be; pāvanī — purifying; chandāṁsi — Vedic hymns; ayāta-yāmāni — ever fresh; bhavantu — may there be; iha — in this life; paratra — in the next life; ca — and.

Translation

O heroes, now please return home. May Your fame sanctify the world, and may the Vedic hymns be ever fresh in Your minds, both in this life and the next.

Devanagari

गुरुणैवमनुज्ञातौ रथेनानिलरंहसा ।
आयातौ स्वपुरं तात पर्जन्यनिनदेन वै ॥ ४९ ॥

Text

guruṇaivam anujñātau
rathenānila-raṁhasā
āyātau sva-puraṁ tāta
parjanya-ninadena vai

Synonyms

guruṇā — by Their spiritual master; evam — in this way; anujñātau — given leave; rathena — in Their chariot; anila — like the wind; raṁhasā — whose speed; āyātau — came; sva — to Their own; puram — city (Mathurā); tāta — my dear (King Parīkṣit); parjanya — like a cloud; ninadena — whose reverberation; vai — indeed.

Translation

Thus receiving Their guru’s permission to leave, the two Lords returned to Their city on Their chariot, which moved as swiftly as the wind and resounded like a cloud.

Devanagari

समनन्दन् प्रजा: सर्वा द‍ृष्ट्वा रामजनार्दनौ ।
अपश्यन्त्यो बह्वहानि नष्टलब्धधना इव ॥ ५० ॥

Text

samanandan prajāḥ sarvā
dṛṣṭvā rāma-janārdanau
apaśyantyo bahv ahāni
naṣṭa-labdha-dhanā iva

Synonyms

samanandan — rejoiced; prajāḥ — the citizens; sarvāḥ — all; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; rāma-janārdanau — Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa; apaśyantyaḥ — not having seen; bahu — for many; ahāni — days; naṣṭa — lost; labdha — and regained; dhanāḥ — those whose wealth; iva — like.

Translation

All the citizens rejoiced upon seeing Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, whom they had not seen for many days. The people felt just like those who have lost their wealth and then regained it.

Purport

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Forty-fifth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Kṛṣṇa Rescues His Teacher’s Son.”