FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.44.26

तत: कूटमनुप्राप्तं राम: प्रहरतां वर: । अवधील्लीलया राजन्सावज्ञं वाममुष्टिना ॥ २६ ॥
tataḥ kūṭam anuprāptaṁ
[tatah kootam anupraaptam]
rāmaḥ praharatāṁ varaḥ
[raamah praharataam varah]
avadhīl līlayā rājan
[avadheel leelayaa raajan]
sāvajñaṁ vāma-muṣṭinā
[saavajnam vaama-mushtinaa]
tataḥ — then kūṭam — the demonic wrestler Kūṭa anuprāptam — appearing on the scene rāmaḥ — Lord Balarāma praharatām — of fighters varaḥ — the best avadhīt — killed līlayā — playfully rājan — O King, Parīkṣit sa - avajñam — neglectfully vāma — left muṣṭinā — with His fist .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tataḥ kūṭam anuprāptaṁ
tataḥ
then
kūṭam
the demonic wrestler Kūṭa
anuprāptam
appearing on the scene
rāmaḥ praharatāṁ varaḥ
rāmaḥ
Lord Balarāma
praharatām
of fighters
varaḥ
the best
avadhīl līlayā rājan
avadhīt
killed
līlayā
playfully
rājan
O King, Parīkṣit
sāvajñaṁ vāma-muṣṭinā
sa - avajñam
neglectfully
vāma
left
muṣṭinā
with His fist .
  • līlayā — playfully
    Instrumental of līlā — pastime, play. The single most important word in Gauḍīya theology. Every act of Bhagavān is līlā: even killing a wrestler is play, not labor. The grammar of the verse encodes the doctrine.
  • sa - avajñam — with disregard
    Compound: sa (with) + avajñā (disregard, slighting). Balarāma kills without even granting Kūṭa the dignity of attention. Cf. BG 4.8 — paritrāṇāya sādhūnām — the same Lord whose face turns toward bhaktas turns barely an eye toward demons.
  • vāma - muṣṭinā — with the left fist
    Compound: vāma (left) + muṣṭi (fist). The left hand is the non-favored hand in classical contexts — Balarāma chooses His non-dominant side. The detail is the verse's whole point: this much is enough.
  • praharatām varaḥ — the best of those who strike
    Compound: praharatām (gen. plur. participle of pra + √hṛ, 'of those striking') + vara (best). Of all who strike, He is best — not by force but by economy. The Bhāgavatam pairs the descriptor with the left-fist detail: best, and barely trying.
Confronted next by the wrestler Kūṭa, Lord Balarāma, the best of fighters, playfully and nonchalantly killed him with His left fist, O King.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Confronted next by the wrestler Kūṭa, Lord Balarāma, the best of fighters, playfully and nonchalantly killed him with His left fist, O King.
Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

He killed him effortlessly (līlayā) since he did by his left fist, and also without paying attention.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Balarāma killed Kūta, who approached him after Muṣṭika was killed (anu), or who approached him from behind out of fear. He is called Rāma because he gave pleasure to his friends. He did this without effort, using only his left fist, without much attention, since he was the best among fighters. O king! Śukadeva addressed Parīkṣit in joy, since the king glowing with joy. Or rājan can mean “Balarāma shone because of the pastime.”

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Dhriti (Resilience / Steadfastness / Fortitude)Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Udyama (Industriousness / Effort)
Related verses
Concepts
Jiva
Confronted next by Kūṭa, Balarāma playfully and nonchalantly kills him with His left fist. Once major opponents are down, secondary ones are dispatched without ceremony.
Reflection Questions
  • What 'Kūṭa-level' problems do you treat with the gravity reserved for major ones?
  • Where could nonchalance be your spiritual default?

Kūṭa rushes at Balarāma, and Balarāma kills him līlayā — playfully, casually — with the left fist, as a man flicks a fly. The right hand is not needed; the gaze is barely engaged. This is Bhagavān's signature: the catastrophic act done with the unbothered hand.

📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 44