SB 10.52.11

SB 10.52.11

Devanagari

गिरौ निलीनावाज्ञाय नाधिगम्य पदं नृप । ददाह गिरिमेधोभि: समन्तादग्निमुत्सृजन् ॥ ११ ॥

Verse text

girau nilīnāv ājṣāya nādhigamya padaṁ nṛpa dadāha girim edhobhiḥ samantād agnim utsṛjan

Synonyms

girau on the mountain ; nilīnau hiding ; ājṣāya being aware ; na adhigamya not finding ; padam Their location ; nṛpa O King (Parīkṣit) ; dadāha he set ablaze ; girim the mountain ; edhobhiḥ with firewood ; samantāt on all sides ; agnim fire ; utsṛjan generating .

Translation

Although he knew They were hiding on the mountain, Jarāsandha could find no trace of Them. Therefore, O King, he placed firewood on all sides and set the mountain ablaze.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Although he knew They were hiding on the mountain, Jarāsandha could find no trace of Them. Therefore, O King, he placed firewood on all sides and set the mountain ablaze. KB 10.52.11 Jarāsandha took it for granted that the two brothers were afraid of his military power and had hidden Themselves at the top of the mountain. First he tried to find Them, searching for a long time, but when he failed he decided to trap and kill Them by setting fires around the peak. He therefore surrounded the peak with firewood and set it ablaze.

Purport

Clearly we are observing one of the Supreme Lord’s transcendental pastimes. Although the Bhāgavatam states that the two Lords, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, were “exhausted,” even in Their so-called exhausted state They were able to quickly climb a high mountain and shortly thereafter jump off it to the ground. It would be unwise and illogical to ignore the whole picture the sages are giving us here and instead try to pick apart isolated descriptions. Clearly we are watching the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the midst of His spiritual pastimes; we are not observing an ordinary human being. Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma were still quite young men when this pastime took place, and one can easily see in these descriptions how They must have been enjoying Themselves, eagerly fleeing from the somewhat ridiculous King Jarāsandha, racing up a mountain, jumping off and totally befuddling the constantly failing demon, who somehow or other never lost confidence in himself. Seen without envy or quarrelsomeness, the Lord’s pastimes are immensely entertaining.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

Jarāsandha could not find the spot (padam) where they were hiding. Or he could not understand where they were because he could not find their footprints (padam). He began to burn the mountain. O king! This expresses the great power of the fire.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

Jarāsandha could not find the spot (padam) where they were hiding. Or he could not understand where they were, because he could not find their footprints (padam). They hid among the bushes and grass to give joy to the animals. Or he could not find their foot prints anywhere. Lighting fire in all directions, he began to burn the mountain. O king! This expresses the great power of the fire. Giving the order, through many followers, he burned the mountain.