Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.12.26
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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asura-udara-antaram
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into the belly of the demon
Compound: asura (demon) + udara (belly) + antara (inside). The same udara-interior that the universal form contains all worlds in (chapter 14) here contains the cowherd boys. The līlā creates a deliberate inversion: in the demon's belly there is loss; in Kṛṣṇa's belly there is everything.
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śiśavaḥ
—
the children
Plural of śiśu (child). Gauḍīyas read śiśu as the keyword of kaumāra-līlā — Kṛṣṇa as śiśu is the form Yaśodā holds, the gopas play with. Mādhurya-rasa belongs to later years; here we are still in śiśu-rasa, where vātsalya and sakhya predominate.
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baka-ari
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the enemy of Baka (i.e. Kṛṣṇa)
Compound: baka + ari (enemy). The demon's own internal monologue names Kṛṣṇa by His Baka-killer title. Even Aghāsura's mind is full of Kṛṣṇa's exploits — Vraja's enemies are devotional by inversion.
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hata-sva-kānta-smaraṇena
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by remembrance of his slain kin
Compound: hata (slain) + sva (own) + kānta (dear one) + smaraṇa (remembrance). The demon's smaraṇa is grief-driven memory of his siblings. Gauḍīyas note: smaraṇa is a limb of bhakti (śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam); the demon's smaraṇa, though hostile, still keeps Kṛṣṇa in mind — which is why even hostile thought leads to liberation (verse 39).
Just as Krsna decided to stop them, the boys entered the serpent’s mouth, but the serpent did not swallow them. Why didn’t he swallow them? Remembering the death of his brother and sister (hata svaka antasmaranena) he was waiting for Krsna. To think that though Krsna wanted to stop the boys from entering he could not do it, and that his satyasankalpa sakti(every desire of the Lord is fulfilled) was thwarted, is incorrect. The devotees had the desire , " If we go in the serpent’s mouth, will he swallow us? If he swallows us, our friend will kill him as he did Baka." Of the two desires, the desire of the devotee prevails, as it was explained previously, by the principle that the Lord is controlled by his devotee. This is all arranged by the ever- watchful lila sakti of the Lord, which destroys all contradictions.
Just as he decided to stop them, the boys along with the calves entered the snake’s mouth. This incident, like Kṛṣṇa’s external pastimes of killing demons, takes place because his dear devotees were absorbed in prema-rasa. This is the real conclusion as with previous incidents. Otherwise this could not happen, since Kṛṣṇa’s every wish is fulfilled (satya-saṅkalpa) and he is the very form of all knowledge. The calves entered because the boys followed after them, clapping their hands and making them run, since otherwise they would have fled away in fear. The boys with the calves went into the stomach of Agha, though they did not at all want to enter, since it frightfully dark and full of fire. Though they were unlimited in number, by the influence of the līlā-śakti, they could all fit inside. Agha did not prevent them from leaving by closing his mouth and swallowing (gīrṇāḥ). Another version has na jīrṇāḥ: he did not want to digest them. The meaning becomes the same since closing the mouth and stretching the body are aids to digesting food.
Just as he decided to stop them, the boys along with the calves entered the snake’s mouth. This incident, like Kṛṣṇa’s external pastimes of killing demons, takes place because his dear devotees were absorbed in prema-rasa. This is the real conclusion as with previous incidents. Otherwise this could not happen, since Kṛṣṇa’s every wish is fulfilled (satya-saṅkalpa) and he is the very form of all knowledge. One should not say that that his external actions, which are for the benefit of the world can be understood and the internal actions, of he who is deeper than an million oceans, cannot be understood, for he has nothing to hide from his dear devotees. Ullaṅghita-trividha-sīma-samātiśāyi saṁbhāvanaṁ tava parivraḍima-svabhāvam Māyā-balena bhavatāpi niguhymānaṁ paśyanti kecid aniśaṁ tvad ananya-bhāvāḥ O Lord who surpasses three types of limitations! Some persons, having pure devotion to you, constantly see your fame and generous nature, though it is hidden by you by the power of your māyā. Stotra-ratna, Yamunācārya If Kṛṣṇa’s thoughts were beyond comprehension, Śukadeva would not be able to describe his thinking in verse 25 (vicintya). Or while Kṛṣṇa decided to prevent the boys from entering, before that (tāvat) before his desire, they entered. Or hearing the talk of the boys (svānām) he decided to kill (nirodhum) the demon (rakṣaḥ). This resolves the issue. The demon did not close his mouth and swallow the boys. He was waiting for Kṛṣṇa.
- What patterns of obstruction in my life seem to be specifically targeting my closeness to Kṛṣṇa, not just my comfort?
- Where might I be the bait that an obstacle is using to lure Kṛṣṇa into the field?
Picture a host waiting for one specific guest to arrive before serving — refusing to swallow the friends because the real prize is the boy at their center. Aghāsura's restraint is itself his miscalculation: he could have taken what he had; instead he held out for what he could not have.
My note
Source: vedabase.io