FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.37.8

तद्देहत: कर्कटिकाफलोपमाद् व्यसोरपाकृष्य भुजं महाभुज: । अविस्मितोऽयत्नहतारिक: सुरै: प्रसूनवर्षैर्वर्षद्‌भिरीडित: ॥ ८ ॥
tad-dehataḥ karkaṭikā-phalopamād
[tad-dehatah karkatikaa-phalopamaad]
vyasor apākṛṣya bhujaṁ mahā-bhujaḥ
[vyasor apaakrishya bhujam mahaa-bhujah]
avismito ’yatna-hatārikaḥ suraiḥ
[avismito ’yatna-hataarikah suraih]
prasūna-varṣair varṣadbhir īḍitaḥ
[prasoona-varshair varshadbhir eeditah]
tat - dehataḥ — from Keśī’s body karkaṭikā - phala — a karkaṭikā fruit upamāt — which resembled vyasoḥ — from which the vital airs had departed apākṛṣya — withdrawing bhujam — His arm mahā - bhujaḥ — the mighty-armed Lord avismitaḥ — without undue pride ayatna — without effort hata — having killed arikaḥ — His enemy suraiḥ — by the demigods prasūna — of flowers varṣaiḥ — with downpours varṣadbhiḥ — who were raining upon Him īḍitaḥ — worshiped .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tad-dehataḥ karkaṭikā-phalopamād
tat - dehataḥ
from Keśī’s body
karkaṭikā - phala
a karkaṭikā fruit
upamāt
which resembled
vyasor apākṛṣya bhujaṁ mahā-bhujaḥ
vyasoḥ
from which the vital airs had departed
apākṛṣya
withdrawing
bhujam
His arm
mahā - bhujaḥ
the mighty-armed Lord
avismito ’yatna-hatārikaḥ suraiḥ
avismitaḥ
without undue pride
ayatna
without effort
hata
having killed
arikaḥ
His enemy
suraiḥ
by the demigods
prasūna-varṣair varṣadbhir īḍitaḥ
prasūna
of flowers
varṣaiḥ
with downpours
varṣadbhiḥ
who were raining upon Him
īḍitaḥ
worshiped .
  • karkaṭikā-phala — a cucumber-like fruit
    The corpse-simile is rural and exact — Vraja-poetry, not heroic ode. Gauḍīyas note how the Bhāgavatam keeps even Kṛṣṇa's combat scenes grounded in cowherd imagery: the dead horse is described in terms a village boy would know.
  • avismitaḥ — without pride, unsurprised
    A-vi-smita — not astonished, not vain. Kṛṣṇa is not impressed with His own deed. Gauḍīyas treasure this as the signature of the akliṣṭa-karman Lord: the one for whom no act is large enough to provoke ego.
  • ayatna-hata — killed without effort
    Ayatna (effortless) + hata (slain). The Bhāgavatam keeps insisting on this — Kṛṣṇa's kills require no exertion. The asura-saṁhāra mood in Canto 10 is structurally light.
  • prasūna-varṣaiḥ — by downpours of flowers
    Prasūna (blossom) + varṣa (rain). The same sky Keśī's mane had churned now rains flowers. Even the weather changes sides after the kill.
The mighty-armed Kṛṣṇa withdrew His arm from Keśī’s body, which now appeared like a long karkaṭikā fruit. Without the least display of pride at having so effortlessly killed His enemy, the Lord accepted the demigods’ worship in the form of flowers rained down from above.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The mighty-armed Kṛṣṇa withdrew His arm from Keśī's body, which now appeared like a long karkaṭikā fruit. Without the least display of pride at having so effortlessly killed His enemy, the Lord accepted the demigods' worship in the form of flowers rained down from above.
Commentary

Kesi’s body burst like an over-ripe melon. In spite of killing the big demon, Krsna was not proud, since he did it very easily. The devas sprinkled flowers and also water to relieve Krsna of fatigue.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The analogy with the karkaṭikā fruit is described in Viṣṇu Purāṇa: dvipāde pṛṣṭha-pucchārdha śravaṇaikākṣi-nāsike / keśinas te dvidhā bhūte śakale dve virejatuḥ // Keśī’s body was split in two parts each with two feet, half a back and tail, one ear, one eye and one nostril. Though he had effortlessly killed the enemy, Kṛṣṇa did not feel pride mixed with astonishment, thinking “I have killed him.” Or, having killed the enemy he continually smiled (avigata smita= avismnita), since he killed the demon without effort. Parāśara says anāyasta-tanuh ṣvastho hasaṁs tatraiva saṁsthitaḥ: without fatigue and in good health Kṛṣṇa stood and smiled. Having showered flowers, the devatās showered many more flowers. Another version has ayatna-hatārir utsmayaiḥ: he who killed the demon without effort was worshipped by smiling devatās. Parāśara describes what happened after this. tato gopyaś ca gopāś ca hate keśini vismitāḥ / tuṣṭuvuḥ puṇḍarīkākṣam anurāga-manoramam // When Keśī was killed the cowherds and gopīs were astonished. They praised lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa, attractive with anurāga. Vaiśampāyana says: taṁ hataṁ keśinaṁ dṛṣṭvā gopā gopastriyaś ca tāḥ / babhūvur muditāḥ sarve hatavighnā hataklamāḥ // dāmodaraṁ ca śrīmantam yathāsthānaṁ yathā vayaḥ / abhyanandan priyair vākyaiḥ pūjayantaḥ punaḥ punaḥ // Seeing Keśī dead, the cowherds and their wives were overjoyed. They were free of all obstacles and fatigue. They welcomed beautiful Kṛṣṇa according to age and place with pleasing words and worshipped him again and again.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The analogy with the karkaṭikā fruit is described in Viṣṇu Purāṇa: dvipāde pṛṣṭha-pucchārdha śravaṇaikākṣi-nāsike / keśinas te dvidhā bhūte śakale dve virejatuḥ // Keśī’s body was split in two parts each with two feet, half a back and tail, one ear, one eye and one nostril. He withdrew his arm, since his back had been split open or by expanding it from within. His arm is called huge because it expanded within Keśī’s body or it was by nature huge. It is by nature unlimited. Though very small, the Lord is very large, and though large, is also very small. “expansion” is from the external view. Though he easily killed the demon he was not proud (avismitaḥ). Or though he killed the fierce demon, he continued to smile since he killed him without effort. Anāyasta-tanuḥ svastho hasaṁs tatraiva saṁsthitaḥ: Kṛṣṇa remained there without pain and smiled. (Viṣṇu Purāṇa) Now without fear, the devatās became joyful and showered many (varṣaiḥ) flowers. The devatās who showered blessings on others showered flowers. By killing Keśī, their giving blessings was fulfilled. Out of great joy they gave many blessings to the cowherds. The word sura means “those who give glory (suśobhanaṁ rānti).”

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Udyama (Industriousness / Effort)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)
Related verses
Kṛṣṇa withdraws His arm without any display of pride and quietly accepts the demigods' flower-worship. Effortless victory does not need swagger; the truly powerful don't perform their power.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do you display effort to earn credit Kṛṣṇa never needed to display?
  • How could a quiet acceptance of help replace your usual performance of struggle?

Kṛṣṇa withdraws His arm and Keśī's body lies on the ground like a long karkaṭikā fruit — a cucumber split open and emptied. Above, the demigods rain flowers. The Lord stands without a flicker of pride, the way a sun does not boast of dawn.

📝 My note

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