FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.12.26

तावत् प्रविष्टास्त्वसुरोदरान्तरं परं न गीर्णा: शिशव: सवत्सा: । प्रतीक्षमाणेन बकारिवेशनं हतस्वकान्तस्मरणेन रक्षसा ॥ २६ ॥
tāvat praviṣṭās tv asurodarāntaraṁ
[taavat pravishtaas tv asurodaraantaram]
paraṁ na gīrṇāḥ śiśavaḥ sa-vatsāḥ
[param na geernaah shishavah sa-vatsaah]
pratīkṣamāṇena bakāri-veśanaṁ
[prateekshamaanena bakaari-veshanam]
hata-sva-kānta-smaraṇena rakṣasā
[hata-sva-kaanta-smaranena rakshasaa]
tāvat — in the meantime praviṣṭāḥ — all entered tu — indeed asura - udara - antaram — within the belly of the great demon param — but na gīrṇāḥ — they were not swallowed śiśavaḥ — all the boys sa - vatsāḥ — along with their calves pratīkṣamāṇena — who was just waiting for baka - ari — of the enemy of Bakāsura veśanam — the entering hata - sva - kānta - smaraṇena — the asura was thinking of his own dead relatives, who would not be satisfied unless Kṛṣṇa were dead rakṣasā — by the demon .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tāvat praviṣṭās tv asurodarāntaraṁ
tāvat
in the meantime
praviṣṭāḥ
all entered
tu
indeed
asura - udara - antaram
within the belly of the great demon
paraṁ na gīrṇāḥ śiśavaḥ sa-vatsāḥ
param
but
na gīrṇāḥ
they were not swallowed
śiśavaḥ
all the boys
sa - vatsāḥ
along with their calves
pratīkṣamāṇena bakāri-veśanaṁ
pratīkṣamāṇena
who was just waiting for
baka - ari
of the enemy of Bakāsura
veśanam
the entering
hata-sva-kānta-smaraṇena rakṣasā
hata - sva - kānta - smaraṇena
the asura was thinking of his own dead relatives, who would not be satisfied unless Kṛṣṇa were dead
rakṣasā
by the demon .
  • asura-udara-antaram — 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.
  • 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.
  • baka-ari — 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.
  • hata-sva-kānta-smaraṇena — 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).
In the meantime, while Kṛṣṇa was considering how to stop them, all the cowherd boys entered the mouth of the demon. The demon, however, did not swallow them, for he was thinking of his own relatives who had been killed by Kṛṣṇa and was just waiting for Kṛṣṇa to enter his mouth.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
In the meantime, while Kṛṣṇa was considering how to stop them, all the cowherd boys entered the mouth of the demon. The demon, however, did not swallow them, for he was thinking of his own relatives who had been killed by Kṛṣṇa and was just waiting for Kṛṣṇa to enter his mouth.
Commentary

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.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

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.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

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.

Related values
Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Kartavya (Duty / Responsibility)Hrih (Modesty / Sense of Shame)Satya (Truthfulness)Samata (Equanimity / Even-mindedness)Dana (Charity / Generosity)
Related verses
Concepts
MayaSatya
Aghāsura holds back swallowing the boys — he is waiting for Kṛṣṇa Himself. Even a demon recognizes that the real prize, and the real threat, is the Personality of Godhead.
Reflection Questions
  • 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

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