Devanagari
असुराणां सुधादानं सर्पाणामिव दुर्नयम् ।
मत्वा जातिनृशंसानां न तां व्यभजदच्युत: ॥ १९ ॥
Verse text
asurāṇāṁ sudhā-dānaṁ
sarpāṇām iva durnayam
matvā jāti-nṛśaṁsānāṁ
na tāṁ vyabhajad acyutaḥ
Synonyms
asurāṇām
—
of the demons
;
sudhā
—
dānam — giving of the nectar
;
sarpāṇām
—
of snakes
;
iva
—
like
;
durnayam
—
miscalculation
;
matvā
—
thinking like that
;
jāti
—
nṛśaṁsānām — of those who are by nature very envious
;
na
—
not
;
tām
—
the nectar
;
vyabhajat
—
delivered the share
;
acyutaḥ
—
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who never falls down .
Translation
Demons are by nature crooked like snakes. Therefore, to distribute a share of the nectar to them was not at all feasible, since this would be as dangerous as supplying milk to a snake. Considering this, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who never falls down, did not deliver a share of nectar to the demons.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Deciding that it would be improper to give the nectar to the demons who were cruel like snakes, the Lord did not give a share of nectar to them.
The demons had instructed Mohinī to divide the nectar justly. Not giving the nectar to them was the best justice.
Purport
It is said,
sarpaḥ krūraḥ khalaḥ krūraḥ sarpāt krūrataraḥ khalaḥ:
“The snake is very crooked and envious, and so also is a person like a demon.”
Mantrauṣadhi-vaśaḥ sarpaḥ khalaḥ kena nivāryate:
“One can bring a snake under control with
mantras,
herbs and drugs, but an envious and crooked person cannot be brought under control by any means.” Considering this logic, the Supreme Personality of Godhead thought it unwise to distribute nectar to the demons.