FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.34

शिबिराय निनीषन्तं रज्ज्वा बद्ध्वा रिपुं बलात् । प्राहार्जुनं प्रकुपितो भगवानम्बुजेक्षण: ॥ ३४ ॥
śibirāya ninīṣantaṁ
[shibiraaya nineeshantam]
rajjvā baddhvā ripuṁ balāt
[rajjvaa baddhvaa ripum balaat]
prāhārjunaṁ prakupito
[praahaarjunam prakupito]
bhagavān ambujekṣaṇaḥ
[bhagavaan ambujekshanah]
śibirāya — on the way to the military camp ninīṣantam — while bringing him rajjvā — by the ropes baddhvā — bound up ripum — the enemy balāt — by force prāha — said arjunam — unto Arjuna prakupitaḥ — in an angry mood bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead ambuja-īkṣaṇaḥ — who looks with His lotus eyes.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śibirāya ninīṣantaṁ
śibirāya
on the way to the military camp
ninīṣantam
while bringing him
rajjvā baddhvā ripuṁ balāt
rajjvā
by the ropes
baddhvā
bound up
ripum
the enemy
balāt
by force
prāhārjunaṁ prakupito
prāha
said
arjunam
unto Arjuna
prakupitaḥ
in an angry mood
bhagavān ambujekṣaṇaḥ
bhagavān
the Personality of Godhead
ambuja-īkṣaṇaḥ
who looks with His lotus eyes.
After binding Aśvatthāmā, Arjuna wanted to take him to the military camp. The Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa, looking on with His lotus eyes, spoke to Arjuna in an angry mood.

Both Arjuna and Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa are described here in an angry mood, but Arjuna’s eyes were like balls of red copper whereas the eyes of the Lord were like lotuses. This means that the angry mood of Arjuna and that of the Lord are not on the same level. The Lord is Transcendence, and thus He is absolute in any stage. His anger is not like the anger of a conditioned living being within the modes of qualitative material nature. Because He is absolute, both His anger and pleasure are the same. His anger is not exhibited in the three modes of material nature. It is only a sign of His bent of mind towards the cause of His devotee because that is His transcendental nature. Therefore, even if He is angry, the object of anger is blessed. He is unchanged in all circumstances.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Seeing that Arjuna, who having forcibly bound him with ropes, wanted to bring him back to the camp, lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa became angry and spoke to Arjuna.
Commentary

Kṛṣṇa speaks strongly in five verses to Arjuna, who was filled with lamentation and anger, to show the world Arjuna’s standard of justice. Though Kṛṣṇa was angry, he is still described as lotus-eyed. Thus his anger was only external.

Kṛṣṇa, watching, spoke angrily to Arjuna — testing his discernment. Even friends of the Lord get tested in their judgment. Discernment is sharpened by being challenged, not by being praised.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose challenge to my judgment recently was actually a gift?
  • Where am I avoiding tests because I want only approval?
📝 My note

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