Devanagari
अजानता मामकेन मूढेनाकार्यवेदिना
आनीतोऽयं तव पिता तद्भवान् क्षन्तुमर्हति ॥ ७ ॥
Verse text
ajānatā māmakena
mūḍhenākārya-vedinā
ānīto ’yaṁ tava pitā
tad bhavān kṣantum arhati
Synonyms
ajānatā
—
by one who was ignorant
;
māmakena
—
by my servant
;
mūḍhena
—
foolish
;
akārya
—
vedinā — not knowing his proper duty
;
ānītaḥ
—
was brought
;
ayam
—
this person
;
tava
—
Your
;
pitā
—
father
;
tat
—
that
;
bhavān
—
Your good self
;
kṣantum arhati
—
should please forgive .
Translation
Your father, who is sitting here, was brought to me by a foolish, ignorant servant of mine who did not understand his proper duty. Therefore, please forgive us.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Your father, who is sitting here, was brought to me by a foolish, ignorant servant of mine who did not understand his proper duty. Therefore, please forgive us.
KB 10.28.7
I am very sorry that my foolish man, by not knowing what to do or what not to do, has mistakenly arrested Your father, Nanda Mahārāja. So I beg Your pardon for the offense of my servant.
Purport
The word
ayam,
“this one here,” clearly indicates that Kṛṣṇa’s father, Nanda Mahārāja, was present as Varuṇa was speaking. In fact, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura states that Varuṇa had seated Śrī Nanda on a jeweled throne and had personally worshiped him out of respect.
Technically, Nanda Mahārāja was correct in entering the water just before sunrise. The following explanation is given by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī in his commentary on the first verse of this chapter: After an especially short Ekādaśī, measuring only eighteen hours, about six hours of the lunar day in which the fast had to be broken, namely the Dvādaśī, had already expired before the dawn. Since at sunrise the proper time for breaking the fast would have passed, Nanda Mahārāja decided to enter the water at an otherwise inauspicious time.
Of course, Varuṇa’s servant should have been aware of these technical details, which are meant for strict followers of the Vedic rituals. Above and beyond that, Nanda Mahārāja was acting as the Supreme Lord’s father and was therefore a most sacred person, beyond the touch of insignificant cosmic bureaucrats like the foolish servant of Varuṇa.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
"Why are you embarrassing me by praising me like this?"
In answer Varuna says, "I have really offended you." With this mood he speaks this verse. "That one can enter into the water before the sunrise if a little of the dvadasi alone remains is permitted by those knowledgeable of bhakti scriptures. One of my servants, not knowing this, took your father away and committed a great offense. The offense of my servant is also my offense. This fool does not know what is to be done (a karyavedin). Your father, brought by my servant, is here."
Pointing with his hands, he showed Nanda seated on a jeweled throne, worshiped by Varuna himself. His father was engaged in remembering his own worshipable deity Krsna.
"You are the ocean of forgiveness, but because I am the ocean of offense, you can punish me suitably if you wish."
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
You should forgive my great offense since my servant was foolish. “If he were so ignorant, how did he know that bathing at night was a fault?” He had knowledge to do what was improper. Or he did not know (ajānatā) it was your father and moreover was devoid of knowledge of the Lord (mūḍhena). Not only was he foolish but most unintelligent. He knew how to do the wickedest acts. This is your father. Varuṇa points to his father nearby kept safely in his house. He protected him in his house because he was Kṛṣṇa’s father. It was said nandaṁ ca mokṣyati bhayād varuṇasya pāśād: he will deliver Nanda from the ropes of fear of Varuṇa. (SB 2.7.31) This means that Varuṇa did not bind him with ropes, but that Kṛṣṇa freed Nanda from ropes of fear. You should forgive us for the offense of bringing him here (tat). “But such a great offense cannot be forgiven.” You are most capable (prabho)! You cannot forgive him. Or, you are our master (prabho)! Therefore it is proper that you forgive the offense of your servant. Sometimes bhavān is seen instead of prabho.