FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.37.5

स: लब्धसंज्ञ: पुनरुत्थितो रुषा व्यादाय केशी तरसापतद्धरिम् । सोऽप्यस्य वक्त्रे भुजमुत्तरं स्मयन् प्रवेशयामास यथोरगं बिले ॥ ५ ॥
saḥ labdha-saṁjñaḥ punar utthito ruṣā
[sah labdha-samjnah punar utthito rushaa]
vyādāya keśī tarasāpatad dharim
[vyaadaaya keshee tarasaapatad dharim]
so ’py asya vaktre bhujam uttaraṁ smayan
[so ’py asya vaktre bhujam uttaram smayan]
praveśayām āsa yathoragaṁ bile
[praveshayaam aasa yathoragam bile]
Word-for-word
saḥ — he, Keśī labdha — regaining saṁjñaḥ — consciousness punaḥ — again utthitaḥ — rose up ruṣā — in anger vyādāya — opening (his mouth) wide keśī — Keśī tarasā — rapidly apatat — ran harim — toward Kṛṣṇa saḥ — He, Lord Kṛṣṇa api — and asya — his vaktre — in the mouth bhujam — His arm uttaram — left smayan — smiled praveśayām āsa — placed within yathā — as uragam — a snake bile — (enters) within a hole .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
saḥ labdha-saṁjñaḥ punar utthito ruṣā
saḥ
he, Keśī
labdha
regaining
saṁjñaḥ
consciousness
punaḥ
again
utthitaḥ
rose up
ruṣā
in anger
vyādāya keśī tarasāpatad dharim
vyādāya
opening (his mouth) wide
keśī
Keśī
tarasā
rapidly
apatat
ran
harim
toward Kṛṣṇa
so ’py asya vaktre bhujam uttaraṁ smayan
praveśayām āsa yathoragaṁ bile
saḥ
He, Lord Kṛṣṇa
api
and
asya
his
vaktre
in the mouth
bhujam
His arm
uttaram
left
smayan
smiled
praveśayām āsa
placed within
yathā
as
uragam
a snake
bile
(enters) within a hole .
Important Words
  • smayan — smiling
    Kṛṣṇa smiles while inserting His arm into the horse's mouth. The smile is the signature of līlā — what looks like combat from outside is play from inside. Gauḍīyas treasure smayan-kṛṣṇa: the Lord who fights without losing His grin.
  • bhujam-uttaram — His left arm
    Uttara — northern, upper, left. Even the choice of arm is leisurely; the right is unneeded. The detail tells us Kṛṣṇa is not exerting.
  • vaktre — in the mouth
    The demon's weapon (the gaping mouth) becomes the entry-point of his death. Gauḍīyas read this as the standard līlā-grammar: the asura's chosen instrument is always what the Lord uses to undo him.
  • bile — into a hole (in the ground)
    The simile reduces Keśī to a small snake retreating into its burrow. The cosmic terror is sized down to a household nuisance the cowherd boy can handle one-handed.
Upon regaining consciousness Keśī angrily got up, opened his mouth wide and again rushed to attack Lord Kṛṣṇa. But the Lord just smiled and thrust His left arm into the horse’s mouth as easily as one would make a snake enter a hole in the ground.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Upon regaining consciousness Keśī angrily got up, opened his mouth wide and again rushed to attack Lord Kṛṣṇa. But the Lord just smiled and thrust His left arm into the horse's mouth as easily as one would make a snake enter a hole in the ground.
Commentary

When Kesi regained consciousness (labhda sanjna) he got up, and, opening his mouth, ran at Krsna. But Krsna just laughed. Showing his left thumb, Krsna said, "Do you want to eat something? Here , eat this." He then thrust his left arm into Kesi’s open mouth, in order to destroy his life, just as a snake easily enters a hole to kill a mouse.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The wicked demon (saḥ) got up. Or, though thrown at a distance, he (saḥ) got up. Just as a curious person will put a snake into a mouse hole without fear of mishap, Kṛṣṇa put his fist in Keśī’s mouth, which represented his life air.

Related values & verses
Related values
Prema (Divine Love)Bhakti (Devotion)
Concepts
RasaJiva
Personal Guidance
Regaining consciousness, Keśī rushes Kṛṣṇa again, mouth wide; the Lord smiles and thrusts His left arm in as easily as putting a snake in a hole. The Lord smiles at reattempts; what is terrible for us is play for Him.
Reflection Questions
  • Where could you let Kṛṣṇa's smile replace your panic toward a returning threat?
  • What 'snake' could you slide into a hole today rather than fight tooth and nail?
Analogy

Keśī wakes, charges again with mouth wide open — and Kṛṣṇa smiles and slides His left arm in, as casually as a child guides a small snake back into its hole. The demon's open jaws turn out to be the very doorway the Lord was looking for.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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