SB 10.45.3

SB 10.45.3

Devanagari

नास्मत्तो युवयोस्तात नित्योत्कण्ठितयोरपि । बाल्यपौगण्डकैशोरा: पुत्राभ्यामभवन्‍क्‍वचित् ॥ ३ ॥

Verse 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.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

[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. KB 10.45.3 “... although you have always been anxious for the protection of Our lives, you could not enjoy the pleasure of having Us as your babies, as your growing boys and as your adolescent youths.” Kṛṣṇa indirectly praised the fatherhood of Nanda Mahārāja and motherhood of Yaśodā as most glorious because although He and Balarāma were not their born sons, Nanda and Yaśodā actually enjoyed Their childhood pastimes. By nature’s own arrangement, the childhood of the embodied living being is enjoyed by his parents. Even in the animal kingdom, parents are found to be affectionate to their cubs. Being captivated by the activities of their offspring, they take much care for their well-being. As for Vasudeva and Devakī, they were always anxious for the protection of their sons, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. That is why Kṛṣṇa, after His appearance, was immediately transferred to another’s house. Balarāma was also transferred, from Devakī’s womb to Rohiṇī’s womb. Vasudeva and Devakī were full of anxieties for Kṛṣṇa’s and Balarāma’s protection, but they could not enjoy Their childhood pastimes.

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 paṣcamābdāntaṁ paugaṇḍaṁ daśamāvadhi kaiśoram ā-paṣcadaśād 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 aṣjasā ‘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.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

"Because of your anxiety for us, you never had the opportunity of happiness of raising us through the balya, pauganda and kaisora ages." "But the women of Mathura mentioned in chapter 44, verse 8 that Krsna and Balarama were of kaisora age, and had not reached yauvana. Thus the match between the huge wrestlers and the young boys was unequal. Therefore it cannot be said that they had finished their kaisora age. Kaumara age is up to the fifth year. Pauganda is the fifth year to the tenth year. Kaisora is from the tenth to fifteenth year. After that is yauvana. As Krsna was eleven when he killed Kamsa, he would be in the kairsora age according to the above definition. Uddhava has said, "Krsna lived with Balarama secretly in Vraja until the eleventh year." Because of this statement, and the fact that they had not undergone the upanayana samskara, it should be concluded that they started the kaisora age while in Vraja but it had not been completed when they left." "That is true, if you take the normal method of counting the years. However chapter 8, verse.26 states that Krsna and Balarama in a very short time began to crawl about. It is sometimes seen that a young prince during pauganda age may show symptoms of the kaisora age with his quick bodily growth. Therefore what to speak of Krsna attaining kaisora symptoms during pauganda age? Therefore in the case of Krsna, the ages are established according to the following norm following the Vaisnava Tosani, Bhaktirasamrta sindhu and Ananda vrndavana campu. At the age of three years and four months, Krsna displayed the qualities of a five year old. During this kaumara age, Krsna stayed in Mahavana. From that time till the age of six years and eight months, during his pauganda age, he stayed in Vrndavana. From six years and eight months until his tenth year he experienced kaisora age while living in Nandisvara. In the seventh month of the tenth year during the month of Caitra on the krsna trayodasi he went to Mathura and on the caturdasi he killed Kamsa. Therefore the tenth year was the end of his kaisora age, but thereafter he remained at the same age. That is illustrated by the following statement: "When the kaisora age Pradyumna entered the apartments of Krsna, he appeared the same as Krsna and the women hid themselves out of shame." (SB10.55.28). There are also similar statements in the agamas. Thus on the day of killing Kamsa, Krsna had both passed the kaisora age and not passed it. By this explanation there is harmony between Krsna’s statement in this verse that kaisora age passed, and the statement of the women of Mathura that he was in his kaisora age.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

He addresses his father first, since he is more prominent. He addresses him as father to arouse within him paternal affection since Vasudeva did not have strong affection, because he had knowledge of Kṛṣṇa as the Lord. In saying that they could not enjoy his kaiśora period, he means that they could not enjoy his full kaiśora period, but only part. He does not mean to say that he has now passed the kaiśora period since it is said kaiśorau nāpa yavanau: they attained kaiśora period, but did not enter yauvana period. They had just begun their kaiśora period. One should consider the order of their age. According to the people of Vraja he lifted Govardhana when he was seven years old. kva sapta-hāyano bālaḥ kva mahādri-vidhāraṇam tato no jāyate śaṅkā vraja-nātha tavātmaje On the one hand this boy is only seven years old, and on the other we see that he has lifted the great hill Govardhana. Therefore, O King of Vraja, a doubt about your son arises within us. SB 10.26.14 He held up the mountain on the third lunar day during the waxing moon of Kārtika month. He completed the seventh year on the eighth lunar day of gauṇa Bhādra month. Out of affection the people stated that he was seven years old, when actually he was seven years, two months and ten days old. Taking that date as a marker, one should calculate the age at which he performed the previous pastimes. One should also consider the following statement and the example of quick development seen in a prince: kālenālpena rājarṣe rāmaḥ kṛṣṇaś ca gokule aghṛṣṭa-jānubhiḥ padbhir vicakramatur añjasā O King Parīkṣit, within a very short time both Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa began to walk very easily in Gokula on their legs, by their own strength, without the need to crawl. SB 10.8.26 Therefore it was not impossible that Kṛṣṇa lifted Govardhana when a little over seven years old, since he was moreover, the Supreme Lord. He killed Tṛnāvarta when he was one year old. Dāmodara pastime took place when at the beginning of his third year, during Kārtika month. Some days after that, they went from Gokula to Vṛndāvana. After two or three months Kṛṣṇa began herding the calves. Whiling herding the calves he killed Vatsāsura, Bakāṣura and Vyomāsura. When the third year was complete and he entered his fourth year, in the autumn season Brahmā sole the calves and cowherd boys. He entered paugaṇḍa period at the time. However it is said: brahman kālāntara-kṛtaṁ tat-kālīnaṁ kathaṁ bhavet yat kaumāre hari-kṛtaṁ jaguḥ paugaṇḍake ’rbhakāḥ O great sage, how could things done in the past have been described as being done at the present? Kṛṣṇa performed this pastime of killing Aghāsura during his kaumāra age. How then, during his paugaṇḍa age, could the boys have described this incident as having happened recently? SB 10.12.41 Thus, because of the theft, there was delay in paugaṇḍa manifesting. Paugaṇḍa age appeared when Kṛṣṇa was five years old. He began herding the cows on the eighth lunar day of the waxing moon in Kārtika month. In the summer of the fifth year he subdued Kāliya. In his sixth year he had fun herding the cows. At the beginning of the seventh year he entered kaiśora period. At that time he killed Dhenuka on going to the forest of ripe tāla fruits. That evening, the gopīs showed first signs of love for him: pītvā mukunda-mukha-sāragham akṣi-bhṛṅgais tāpaṁ jahur viraha-jaṁ vraja-yoṣito ’hni tat sat-kṛtiṁ samadhigamya viveśa goṣṭhaṁ savrīḍa-hāsa-vinayaṁ yad apāṅga-mokṣam With their beelike eyes, the women of Vṛndāvana drank the honey of the beautiful face of Mukunda, and thus they gave up the distress they had felt during the day because of separation from Him. The young Vṛndāvana ladies cast sidelong glances at the Lord—glances filled with bashfulness, laughter and submission—and Kṛṣṇa, completely accepting these glances as a proper offering of respect, entered the cowherd village. SB 10.15.43 The pastimes of subduing Kāliya and killing Dhenuka are narrated out of order. In the summer of the seventh year Pralamba was killed. During the Āśvina month of his eighth year he played the flute. During Kārtika month he lifted Govardhana. This is when the inhabitants exclaimed that he was only seven years old. tato nanda-vrajam itaḥ pitrā kaṁsād vibibhyatā ekādaśa samās tatra gūḍhārciḥ sa-balo ’vasat His father, afraid of Kaṁsa, brought him to Vraja and for eleven years he lived there with Balarāma, like a covered flame. SB 3.2.26 At the beginning of his eighth year, on the eleventh day of Kārtika, waxing moon, he was bathed and given the name Govinda. On the twelfth day, he went to Varuṇa’s kingdom. On the full moon day he immersed the inhabitants in Brahma-hrada. During the winter season, he stole the gopīs’ clothing, since this is mentioned in Varāha Purāṇa. In the summer of his eighth year he gave mercy to the wives of the brāhmaṇas. In his ninth year he performed the rāsa dance. He went to Ambikā-vana during Śiva-rātri, on the fourteenth lunar day. He killed Śaṅkhacūḍa in Phālguna month. In his tenth year he performed pastimes as he pleased. He killed Ariṣṭa on the full moon of Caitrya month when he was eleven. He killed Keśī on the twelfth lunar day of gauṇa Phālguna. On the fourteenth day he killed Kaṁsa. He was not actually twelve years old at that time, but eleven as mentioned in SB 3.2.26. At the end of his ninth year he entered full kaiśora period. He does not age beyond this period. kṛṣṇaṁ matvā striyo hrītā nililyus tatra tatra ha The women of the palace thought Pradyumna was Kṛṣṇa. Thus the women became bashful and hid themselves here and there. SB 10.55.28 Though Pradyumna was young, he was similar to Kṛṣṇa.