Devanagari
तावत् प्रविष्टास्त्वसुरोदरान्तरं
परं न गीर्णा: शिशव: सवत्सा: ।
प्रतीक्षमाणेन बकारिवेशनं
हतस्वकान्तस्मरणेन रक्षसा ॥ २६ ॥
Verse text
tāvat praviṣṭās tv asurodarāntaraṁ
paraṁ na gīrṇāḥ śiśavaḥ sa-vatsāḥ
pratīkṣamāṇena bakāri-veśanaṁ
hata-sva-kānta-smaraṇena rakṣasā
Synonyms
tāvat
—
in the meantime
;
praviṣṭāḥ
—
all entered
;
tu
—
indeed
;
asura
—
udara — antaram — within the belly of the great demon
;
param
—
but
;
na gīrṇāḥ
—
they were not swallowed
;
śiśavaḥ
—
all the boys
;
sa
—
vatsāḥ — along with their calves
;
pratīkṣamāṇena
—
who was just waiting for
;
baka
—
ari — of the enemy of Bakāsura
;
veśanam
—
the entering
;
hata
—
sva — kānta — smaraṇena — the asura was thinking of his own dead relatives, who would not be satisfied unless Kṛṣṇa were dead
;
rakṣasā
—
by the demon .
Translation
In the meantime, while Kṛṣṇa was considering how to stop them, all the cowherd boys entered the mouth of the demon. The demon, however, did not swallow them, for he was thinking of his own relatives who had been killed by Kṛṣṇa and was just waiting for Kṛṣṇa to enter his mouth.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
In the meantime, while Kṛṣṇa was considering how to stop them, all the cowherd boys entered the mouth of the demon. The demon, however, did not swallow them, for he was thinking of his own relatives who had been killed by Kṛṣṇa and was just waiting for Kṛṣṇa to enter his mouth.
KB 10.12.26
… all the boys along with their calves entered the mouth of the serpent. But Kṛṣṇa did not enter. The demon was awaiting Kṛṣṇa’s entrance, and he was thinking, “Everyone has entered except Kṛṣṇa, who has killed my brother and sister.”
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Just as Krsna decided to stop them, the boys entered the serpent’s mouth, but the serpent did not swallow them. Why didn’t he swallow them? Remembering the death of his brother and sister (hata svaka antasmaranena) he was waiting for Krsna. To think that though Krsna wanted to stop the boys from entering he could not do it, and that his satyasankalpa sakti(every desire of the Lord is fulfilled) was thwarted, is incorrect. The devotees had the desire , " If we go in the serpent’s mouth, will he swallow us? If he swallows us, our friend will kill him as he did Baka." Of the two desires, the desire of the devotee prevails, as it was explained previously, by the principle that the Lord is controlled by his devotee. This is all arranged by the ever- watchful lila sakti of the Lord, which destroys all contradictions.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Just as he decided to stop them, the boys along with the calves entered the snake’s mouth. This incident, like Kṛṣṇa’s external pastimes of killing demons, takes place because his dear devotees were absorbed in prema-rasa. This is the real conclusion as with previous incidents. Otherwise this could not happen, since Kṛṣṇa’s every wish is fulfilled (satya-saṅkalpa) and he is the very form of all knowledge. The calves entered because the boys followed after them, clapping their hands and making them run, since otherwise they would have fled away in fear. The boys with the calves went into the stomach of Agha, though they did not at all want to enter, since it frightfully dark and full of fire. Though they were unlimited in number, by the influence of the līlā-śakti, they could all fit inside. Agha did not prevent them from leaving by closing his mouth and swallowing (gīrṇāḥ). Another version has na jīrṇāḥ: he did not want to digest them. The meaning becomes the same since closing the mouth and stretching the body are aids to digesting food.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
Just as he decided to stop them, the boys along with the calves entered the snake’s mouth. This incident, like Kṛṣṇa’s external pastimes of killing demons, takes place because his dear devotees were absorbed in prema-rasa. This is the real conclusion as with previous incidents. Otherwise this could not happen, since Kṛṣṇa’s every wish is fulfilled (satya-saṅkalpa) and he is the very form of all knowledge.
One should not say that that his external actions, which are for the benefit of the world can be understood and the internal actions, of he who is deeper than an million oceans, cannot be understood, for he has nothing to hide from his dear devotees.
Ullaṅghita-trividha-sīma-samātiśāyi saṁbhāvanaṁ tava parivraḍima-svabhāvam
Māyā-balena bhavatāpi niguhymānaṁ paśyanti kecid aniśaṁ tvad ananya-bhāvāḥ
O Lord who surpasses three types of limitations! Some persons, having pure devotion to you, constantly see your fame and generous nature, though it is hidden by you by the power of your māyā.
Stotra-ratna, Yamunācārya
If Kṛṣṇa’s thoughts were beyond comprehension, Śukadeva would not be able to describe his thinking in verse 25 (vicintya).
Or while Kṛṣṇa decided to prevent the boys from entering, before that (tāvat) before his desire, they entered. Or hearing the talk of the boys (svānām) he decided to kill (nirodhum) the demon (rakṣaḥ). This resolves the issue. The demon did not close his mouth and swallow the boys. He was waiting for Kṛṣṇa.