SB 10.78.37 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

किं व: कामो मुनिश्रेष्ठा ब्रूताहं करवाण्यथ । अजानतस्त्वपचितिं यथा मे चिन्त्यतां बुधा: ॥ ३७ ॥

Verse text

kiṁ vaḥ kāmo muni-śreṣṭhā brūtāhaṁ karavāṇy atha ajānatas tv apacitiṁ yathā me cintyatāṁ budhāḥ

Synonyms

kim — what ; vaḥ — your ; kāmaḥ — desire ; muni — of sages ; śreṣṭhāḥ — O best ; brūta — please say ; aham — I ; karavāṇi — shall do it ; atha — and then ; ajānataḥ — who does not know ; tu — indeed ; apacitim — the atonement ; yathā — properly ; me — for Me ; cintyatām — please think of ; budhāḥ — O intelligent ones .

Translation

Please tell Me your desire, O best of sages, and I shall certainly fulfill it. And, O wise souls, please carefully determine My proper atonement, since I do not know what it might be.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Please tell Me your desire, O best of sages, and I shall certainly fulfill it. And, O wise souls, please carefully determine My proper atonement, since I do not know what it might be. KB 10.78.37 Lord Balarāma then implored all the sages and brāhmaṇas that aside from the benediction offered to the son of Romaharṣaṇa, they should ask from Him any other benediction, and He would be prepared to fulfill it immediately. The Lord thus placed Himself in the position of an ordinary kṣatriya and informed the sages that He did not know in what way He could atone for His killing of Romaharṣaṇa, but whatever they would suggest He would be glad to accept.

Purport

Lord Balarāma here sets a perfect example for people in general by humbly submitting Himself before the qualified brāhmaṇas.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

First I should give something to you wise brahmanas who give instruction on atonement. After that, you should after thinking carefully prescribe for me some atonement, as I am ignorant.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

Balarāma pretends he is ignorant, since he plays the part of a human in these pastimes. Actually he had no fault in killing Romaharṣaṇa.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

I will do as you say since you are the best sages. What is your desire? You have no desire, since you are great ātmārāmas (muni-śreṣṭhā). Therefore say something to me out of affection. Balarāma says he is ignorant out of great humility. O intelligent ones! You know this. He says all this to satisfy them.