Devanagari
सभया: स्त्रीगिर: श्रुत्वा पुत्रस्नेहशुचातुरौ
पितरावन्वतप्येतां पुत्रयोरबुधौ बलम् ॥ १८ ॥
Verse text
sa-bhayāḥ strī-giraḥ śrutvā
putra-sneha-śucāturau
pitarāv anvatapyetāṁ
putrayor abudhau balam
Synonyms
sa
—
bhayāḥ — fearful
;
strī
—
of the women
;
giraḥ
—
the words
;
śrutvā
—
hearing
;
putra
—
for their sons
;
sneha
—
by their affection
;
śuca
—
with sorrow
;
āturau
—
overwhelmed
;
pitarau
—
Their parents (Devakī and Vasudeva)
;
anvatapyetām
—
felt remorse
;
putrayoḥ
—
of their two sons
;
abudhau
—
not knowing
;
balam
—
the strength .
Translation
Out of affection for the two Lords, Their parents [Devakī and Vasudeva] became overwhelmed with sorrow when they heard the women’s fearful statements. They grieved, not knowing their sons’ strength.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Out of affection for the two Lords, Their parents [Devakī and Vasudeva] became overwhelmed with sorrow when they heard the women's fearful statements. They grieved, not knowing their sons' strength.
KB 10.44.18
The parents of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, namely Nanda Mahārāja, Yaśodā, Vasudeva and Devakī, were also very anxious because they did not know the unlimited strength of their children.
Purport
Naturally, Kṛṣṇa’s parents would lament in this situation, thinking “Why didn’t we keep our sons at home? Why did we allow Them to participate in this corrupt exhibition?”
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Krnsa’s parents, that is Vasudeva and Devaki, or the two fathers (pitarau) Vasudeva and Nanda, began to lament. "In departing from Vraja, why did we not instruct Akrura so that he would not bring Krsna and Balarama to the wrestling arena? Why are my sons in this irreligious city? Why were they not confined to my house? " In this way they regretted. Both mother and father were unaware of the strength of their sons. Out of parental affection, this knowledge became covered, and instead they felt remorse. There is the suggestion that this ignorance of their sons’ powers was temporary.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Another version has upaśrutvā. Hearing the words of the women, because they were close (upa) or hearing the words attentively, Vasudeva and Devakī identified themselves as his parents because of parental affection. Because of this, they saw them as their sons. Because of great sorrow they could not understand that their sons had great strength. They were not able to discern their power. They grieved. “Why was Akrūra not instructed from the beginning, when he was about to go to Vraja, so that this would not happen?” They lamented in retrospect. Abudhau can take the genitive or the accusative (balam). It is said kartṛ-karmaṇoḥ kṛti: possessive ending is after a word to demote the agent and the object, when used with a kṛt affix. (Pāṇini 2.3.65) An example is found in Bhaṭti-kavya: dhāyair āmodam uttamam (possessing the highest pleasure). The accusative case is used instead of the possessive.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
Another version has upaśrutvā. Hearing the words of the women, because they were close (upa) or hearing the words attentively, Vasudeva and Devakī identified themselves as his parents because of parental affection. Because of this, they saw them as their sons. Because of great sorrow they could not understand that their sons had great strength. They were not able to discern their power. They grieved. “Why was Akrūra not instructed from the beginning, when he was about to go to Vraja, so that this would not happen?” They lamented in retrospect. Abudhau can take the genitive or the accusative (balam). It is said kartṛ-karmaṇoḥ kṛti: possessive ending is used after a word to denote the agent and the object, when used with a kṛt affix. (Pāṇini 2.3.65) An example is found in Bhaṭti-kavya: dhāyair āmodam uttamam (possessing the highest pleasure). The accusative case is used instead of the possessive.