Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.37.3
स तं निशाम्याभिमुखो मुखेन खं
पिबन्निवाभ्यद्रवदत्यमर्षण: ।
जघान पद्भ्यामरविन्दलोचनं
दुरासदश्चण्डजवो दुरत्यय: ॥ ३ ॥
sa taṁ niśāmyābhimukho makhena khaṁ
[sa tam nishaamyaabhimukho makhena kham]
pibann ivābhyadravad aty-amarṣaṇaḥ
[pibann ivaabhyadravad aty-amarshanah]
jaghāna padbhyām aravinda-locanaṁ
[jaghaana padbhyaam aravinda-lochanam]
durāsadaś caṇḍa-javo duratyayaḥ
[duraasadash chanda-javo duratyayah]
Word-for-word
saḥ
—
he, Keśī
tam
—
Him, Kṛṣṇa
niśāmya
—
seeing
abhimukhaḥ
—
in front of himself
mukhena
—
with his mouth
kham
—
the sky
piban
—
drinking up
iva
—
as if
abhyadravat
—
ran forward
ati - amarṣaṇaḥ
—
very angry
jaghāna
—
he attacked
padbhyām
—
with his two legs
aravinda - locanam
—
the lotus-eyed Lord
durāsadaḥ
—
unapproachable
caṇḍa
—
fierce
javaḥ
—
whose speed
duratyayaḥ
—
unconquerable .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa taṁ niśāmyābhimukho makhena khaṁ
saḥ
he, Keśī
tam
Him, Kṛṣṇa
niśāmya
seeing
abhimukhaḥ
in front of himself
mukhena
with his mouth
kham
the sky
pibann ivābhyadravad aty-amarṣaṇaḥ
piban
drinking up
iva
as if
abhyadravat
ran forward
ati - amarṣaṇaḥ
very angry
jaghāna padbhyām aravinda-locanaṁ
jaghāna
he attacked
padbhyām
with his two legs
aravinda - locanam
the lotus-eyed Lord
durāsadaś caṇḍa-javo duratyayaḥ
durāsadaḥ
unapproachable
caṇḍa
fierce
javaḥ
whose speed
duratyayaḥ
unconquerable .
Important Words
-
aravinda-locanam
—
the lotus-eyed Lord
Aravinda (lotus) + locana (eye). Mid-combat, Śuka does not call Him 'the warrior' or 'the fighter' — he calls Him lotus-eyed. The epithet keeps mādhurya present inside a fight scene; Gauḍīyas treasure this juxtaposition as Kṛṣṇa's signature.
-
durāsadaḥ
—
unapproachable, unassailable
Said of Keśī — no one could come near him. The word is normally reserved for the Lord (cf. Nṛsiṁha's durāsada form); Śuka is letting the demon borrow it for one verse so the contrast in the next verse cuts deeper.
-
abhimukhaḥ
—
facing toward
Abhi (toward) + mukha (face). Kṛṣṇa never turns away. The whole pastime is built on this orientation: the demon comes, the Lord faces him.
-
kham
—
the sky
Keśī tries to drink up the sky with his open mouth — a gesture of cosmic appetite. Gauḍīyas read the demon's hunger as the inverse of the gopīs' hunger: both reach for Kṛṣṇa, but one wants to devour and one wants to be devoured by His glance.
Seeing the Lord standing before him, Keśī ran toward Him in extreme rage, his mouth gaping as if to swallow up the sky. Rushing with furious speed, the unconquerable and unapproachable horse demon tried to strike the lotus-eyed Lord with his two front legs.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Seeing the Lord standing before him, Keśī ran toward Him in extreme rage, his mouth gaping as if to swallow up the sky. Rushing with furious speed, the unconquerable and unapproachable horse demon tried to strike the lotus-eyed Lord with his two front legs.
Commentary
Seeing Krsna, Kesi, whom others could not approach (durasadam), what to speak of defeating him (duratyayah), charged at Krsna.
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
Keśī tried to kill Kṛṣṇa who had lotus eyes. With eyes blossoming like lotuses, Kṛṣṇa glanced at the demon in disrespect. Or Śukadeva criticizes Keśī, since he did not change his evil nature on seeing the young beauty of Kṛṣṇa. The demon, looking at Kṛṣṇa, ran towards him. The horse was difficult to grab (durāsadaḥ) since he moved quickly. Thus he was difficult to defeat.
Related values & verses
Concepts
Jiva
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Seeing the Lord standing there, Keśī rushes in extreme rage, mouth gaping to swallow the sky, trying to strike with his front legs. Demonic rage often presents itself as 'unconquerable' precisely the moment before it loses.
Reflection Questions
- What inner rage have you assumed is 'unconquerable' just before turning to Kṛṣṇa?
- How does the demon's confidence actually reveal his approaching defeat?
Analogy
Keśī charges with his mouth gaping wide enough to swallow the sky — and Kṛṣṇa stands like a lotus on still water. The demon's whole strategy is volume and velocity; Kṛṣṇa's whole strategy is to be where the strike lands and not move.
My note
Source: vedabase.io