Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.27.16
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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aiśvarya-śrī-mada-andhaḥ
—
blinded by the intoxication of power and opulence
Compound: aiśvarya (power) + śrī (opulence) + mada (intoxication) + andha (blind). The Bhāgavatam's four-step diagnosis of the proud — what they possess produces drunkenness, and drunkenness produces blindness.
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daṇḍa-pāṇim
—
holding the rod in My hand
Compound: daṇḍa (rod) + pāṇi (hand). Kṛṣṇa names Himself as wielding the rod — gently, in His own voice. Gauḍīyas note that the rod is in His hand, not in His heart; nigraha is a tool, not His essence.
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bhraṁśayāmi-sampadbhyaḥ
—
I make him fall from his material assets
Verb bhraṁś (causative) + ablative sampad (assets). Kṛṣṇa Himself causes the fall. No detour through karma — the Lord's direct hand. The Bhāgavata's personalism is uncompromising.
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yasya-ca-icchāmi-anugraham
—
and for whom I desire benefit
Phrase: yasya (for whom) + ca (and) + icchāmi (I desire) + anugraha (favor). The conditional clause that flips the entire verse: removal is favor only for those Bhagavān has chosen to favor. Pure Gauḍīya doctrine of grace.
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na paśyati
—
he does not see
Verb of perception in the negative. The Bhāgavatam's repeated theme — the proud are not punished for lacking power, but for failing to see the One who stands beside them. Bhakti is, finally, a matter of darśana.
One may argue, “God should desire everyone’s real welfare; therefore why should Lord Kṛṣṇa state in this verse that He removes the intoxicating opulence of one who is about to receive His mercy, rather than simply stating that He will remove everyone’s opulence and bless everyone?” On the other hand, we may point out that irrevocable death occurs for everyone, and thus Lord Kṛṣṇa does take away everyone’s opulence and everyone’s false pride. However, if we apply the Lord’s statement to events within one’s immediate life, before death, we may refer to Kṛṣṇa’s statement in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.11) : ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham. “As people surrender to Me, I reward them accordingly.” Lord Kṛṣṇa desires everyone’s welfare, but when He says here yasya cecchāmy anugraham, “for one whose welfare I desire,” it is understood that the Lord refers to those who by their own activities and thoughts have manifested a desire to achieve spiritual benefit. Lord Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to be happy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but when He sees that a specific person also desires spiritual happiness, the Lord especially desires it for that person. This is a natural act of reciprocation consistent with the Lord’s statement samo ’haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu : “I am equal in My attitude to all living beings.” ( Bg. 9.29 )
Otherwise you would go astray since you became devoid of unlimited knowledge or blind by intoxication with power and wealth. Such a person does not see me with a cow stick in my hand (for the worshippers of Kṛṣṇa) or does not realize me with the stick of punishment in my hand (for people like you). Speaking of his lordship in cowherd pastimes, he teaches bhakti found in the internal associates such as Nanda. Since that person does not see this, I desire to give him mercy. Thus I take away his wealth which causes his power. But seeing that this would be intolerable to you, I do not do this. Instead, I only destroyed your sacrifice.
A person blinded with the intoxication of wealth does not know (paśyat) the punishment in the form of time. Another version has aiśvarya-śrī-madāndhaḥ: he is blinded by intoxication with power and wealth. If I desire to show him mercy I destroy his power by his wealth. Wealth is the cause of his power.
- What 'fortunate position' might He be loosening from me for my real welfare?
- Where am I clinging while the Lord, in love, is removing?
A man wearing a blindfold cannot see the cliff edge an inch from his feet; the only mercy left is to push him back. Mada is the blindfold; the rod in Kṛṣṇa's hand goes unseen by the proud. So when He wills the man's real welfare, He pushes — strips the sampat — that the eyes might open again.
In SB 1.9 and again in the eleventh canto, the pattern is named: those Bhagavān loves He often impoverishes (yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tat-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ — SB 10.88.8). Kṛṣṇa says elsewhere that the wealthy do not seek Him while the wealth still holds.
This verse is the doctrine spoken plainly to the king of heaven. Gauḍīyas read it as the master-pattern of bhakti-pedagogy: Bhagavān removes what blinds, even when removal looks like loss.
My note
Source: vedabase.io