| Canto 10: The Summum Bonum | Chapter 2: Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Krishna in the Womb |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.2.1-2
mushtikārishta-dvivida-
anyaiś cāsura-bhūpālair
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukah uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; pralamba — by the asura named Pralamba; baka — by the asura named Baka; cānūra — by the asura named Cānūra; trināvarta — by the asura named Trināvarta; mahāśanaih — by Aghāsura; mushtika — by the asura named Mushtika; arishta — by the asura Arishta; dvivida — by the asura named Dvivida; pūtanā — by Pūtanā; keśī — by Keśī; dhenukaih — by Dhenuka; anyaih ca — and by many others; asura-bhūpālaih — by demoniac kings on the surface of the globe; bāna — by King Bāna; bhauma — by Bhaumāsura; ādibhih — and by others as well; yutah — being assisted; yadūnām — of the kings of the Yadu dynasty; kadanam — persecution; cakre — regularly performed; balī — very powerful; māgadha-samśrayah — under the protection of Jarāsandha, the King of Magadha.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Under the protection of Magadharāja, Jarāsandha, the powerful Kamsa began persecuting the kings of the Yadu dynasty. In this he had the cooperation of demons like Pralamba, Baka, Cānūra, Trināvarta, Aghāsura, Mushtika, Arishta, Dvivida, Pūtanā, Keśī, Dhenuka, Bānāsura, Narakāsura and many other demoniac kings on the surface of the earth.
PURPORT
This verse supports the following statement given by the Lord in Bhagavad-gītā (4.7-8):
tadātmānam srijāmy aham
dharma-samsthāpanārthāya
"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion — at that time I descend Myself. To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium."
The Lord's purpose in maintaining this material world is to give everyone a chance to go back home, back to Godhead, but kings and political leaders unfortunately try to hinder the purpose of the Lord, and therefore the Lord appears, either personally or with His plenary portions, to set things right. It is therefore said:
devakyā yogamāyayā
"Krishna appeared in the womb of Devakī after transferring Baladeva to the womb of Rohinī by the power of Yogamāyā." Yadubhih sa vyarudhyata. The kings of the Yadu dynasty were all devotees, but there were many powerful demons, such as Śālva, who began to persecute them. At that time, Jarāsandha, who was Kamsa's father-in-law, was extremely powerful, and therefore Kamsa took advantage of his protection and the help of the demons in persecuting the kings of the Yadu dynasty. The demons naturally appeared more powerful than the demigods, but ultimately, because of help received from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the demons were defeated and the demigods triumphant.
Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari