FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.34.15

तं त्वाहं भवभीतानां प्रपन्नानां भयापहम् । आपृच्छे शापनिर्मुक्त: पादस्पर्शादमीवहन् ॥ १५ ॥
taṁ tvāhaṁ bhava-bhītānāṁ
[tam tvaaham bhava-bheetaanaam]
prapannānāṁ bhayāpaham
[prapannaanaam bhayaapaham]
āpṛcche śāpa-nirmuktaḥ
[aaprichche shaapa-nirmuktah]
pāda-sparśād amīva-han
[paada-sparshaad ameeva-han]
tam — that same person tvā — You aham — I bhava — of material existence bhītānām — for those who are afraid prapannānām — who are surrendered bhaya — of fear apaham — the remover āpṛcche — I request permission śāpa — from the curse nirmuktaḥ — freed pāda - sparśāt — by the touch of Your foot amīva — of all distress han — O destroyer .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
taṁ tvāhaṁ bhava-bhītānāṁ
tam
that same person
tvā
You
aham
I
bhava
of material existence
bhītānām
for those who are afraid
prapannānāṁ bhayāpaham
prapannānām
who are surrendered
bhaya
of fear
apaham
the remover
āpṛcche śāpa-nirmuktaḥ
āpṛcche
I request permission
śāpa
from the curse
nirmuktaḥ
freed
pāda-sparśād amīva-han
pāda - sparśāt
by the touch of Your foot
amīva
of all distress
han
O destroyer .
  • bhava-bhītānām — of those who are afraid of material existence
    Bhava = becoming, the cycle of birth and death. Bhīta = afraid. Gauḍīyas read this fear positively: the only fear worth having is fear of remaining inside saṁsāra — every other fear is misdirected.
  • prapannānām — of those who have surrendered
    Pari of prapanna (v. 6). Once Nanda used it of himself in crisis; now Sudarśana uses it of the class to which he now belongs. Gauḍīyas track this transfer carefully: prapatti is contagious — Bhagavān saves one, and others nearby learn the word.
  • bhaya-apaham — the remover of fear
    Bhaya (fear) + apaha (one who removes, from apa-√han). One of Bhagavān's most quoted names. He is mā-bhī-da — 'do not fear' — to His own. The chapter's twin verses (here and v. 28) install this title on either side of the Vidyādhara and the gopī episode.
  • amīva-han — O destroyer of distress/sin
    Amīva (Vedic: affliction, disease, evil) + han (slayer, vocative). The same Vedic title given to Indra and to Viṣṇu — bhakti claims Vedic vocabulary for Kṛṣṇa. He kills not just enemies but the very category of distress.
My Lord, You destroy all fear for those who, fearing this material world, take shelter of You. By the touch of Your feet I am now freed from the curse of the sages. O destroyer of distress, please let me return to my planet.

According to the ācāryas, the word āpṛcche indicates that Sudarśana humbly requested the Lord for permission to return to his abode, where he might take up his duties again, certainly in a chastened state of mind.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
My Lord, You destroy all fear for those who, fearing this material world, take shelter of You. By the touch of Your feet I am now freed from the curse of the sages. O destroyer of distress, please let me return to my planet.
Commentary

I am praying for the order to go to my own abode (aprcche yace), o destroyer of suffering (amiva han).

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

“Why do you ask to return to your planet and not ask for liberation?” You destroy the fear of those who, because of fear of material life, surrender to you even in their minds. But by being touched by your foot I have attained the highest bhakti. Liberation is automatically achieved.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

I bid farewell (āpṛcche) to you (tvā), the greatest deliverer (tam). “Why do you ask permission to go to your planet? Why do you not ask for liberation?” You completely destroy the fear of those who are surrendered because they fear material existence. What then is the question of fear of material existence for us devotees who are by nature sāttvika. By serving you with music we attain happiness greater than liberation. I have no suffering or offense at all since I have been touched by your foot. You are the destroyer of all suffering at the root (amīva-han).

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Udyama (Industriousness / Effort)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)
Related verses
Sudarśana addresses the Lord as the destroyer of fear for those who take shelter, and asks permission to return to his planet to resume duty. Deliverance ends not in passivity but in returning to one's post, chastened and grateful.
Reflection Questions
  • After Kṛṣṇa's grace lifts you, what 'post' are you meant to return to?
  • Have you replaced active service with comfortable rest?

The freed soul, before flying back to his heaven, asks permission — not yet free of the foot's gravity, like a guest who, even after the host has waved him off, lingers at the doorway because the doorway is sweeter than the road home. Śaraṇāgati does not end at liberation; it begins there.

📝 My note

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