FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.45.42-44

तदङ्गप्रभवं शङ्खमादाय रथमागमत् । तत: संयमनीं नाम यमस्य दयितां पुरीम् ॥ ४२ ॥ गत्वा जनार्दन: शङ्खं प्रदध्मौ सहलायुध: । शङ्खनिर्ह्रादमाकर्ण्य प्रजासंयमनो यम: ॥ ४३ ॥ तयो: सपर्यां महतीं चक्रे भक्त्युपबृंहिताम् । उवाचावनत: कृष्णं सर्वभूताशयालयम् । लीलामनुष्ययोर्विष्णो युवयो: करवाम किम् ॥ ४४ ॥
tad-aṅga-prabhavaṁ śaṅkham
[tad-anga-prabhavam shankham]
ādāya ratham āgamat
[aadaaya ratham aagamat]
tataḥ saṁyamanīṁ nāma
[tatah samyamaneem naama]
yamasya dayitāṁ purīm
[yamasya dayitaam pureem]
gatvā janārdanaḥ śaṅkhaṁ
[gatvaa janaardanah shankham]
pradadhmau sa-halāyudhaḥ
[pradadhmau sa-halaayudhah]
śaṅkha-nirhrādam ākarṇya
[shankha-nirhraadam aakarnya]
prajā-saṁyamano yamaḥ
[prajaa-samyamano yamah]
tayoḥ saparyāṁ mahatīṁ
[tayoh saparyaam mahateem]
cakre bhakty-upabṛṁhitām
[chakre bhakty-upabrimhitaam]
uvācāvanataḥ kṛṣṇaṁ
[uvaachaavanatah krishnam]
sarva-bhūtāśayālayam
[sarva-bhootaashayaalayam]
līlā-manuṣyayor viṣṇo
[leelaa-manushyayor vishno]
yuvayoḥ karavāma kim
[yuvayoh karavaama kim]
tat — his (the demon’s) aṅga — from the body prabhavam — grown śaṅkham — the conchshell ādāya — taking ratham — to the chariot āgamat — He returned tataḥ — then saṁyamanīm nāma — known as Saṁyamanī yamasya — of Lord Yamarāja dayitām — beloved purīm — to the city gatvā — going jana - ardanaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa, the abode of all persons śaṅkham — the conchshell pradadhmau — blew loudly sa — accompanied by hala - āyudhaḥ — Lord Balarāma, whose weapon is a plow śaṅkha — of the conchshell nirhrādam — the resounding ākarṇya — hearing prajā — of those who take birth saṁyamanaḥ — the restrainer yamaḥ — Yamarāja tayoḥ — of Them saparyām — worship mahatīm — elaborate cakre — performed bhakti — with devotion upabṛṁhitām — overflowing uvāca — he said avanataḥ — bowing down humbly kṛṣṇam — to Lord Kṛṣṇa sarva — of all bhūta — living beings āśaya — the minds ālayam — whose residence līlā — as Your pastime manuṣyayoḥ — appearing as human beings viṣṇo — O Supreme Lord Viṣṇu yuvayoḥ — for the two of You karavāma — I should do kim — what .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tad-aṅga-prabhavaṁ śaṅkham
tat
his (the demon’s)
aṅga
from the body
prabhavam
grown
śaṅkham
the conchshell
ādāya ratham āgamat
ādāya
taking
ratham
to the chariot
āgamat
He returned
tataḥ saṁyamanīṁ nāma
tataḥ
then
saṁyamanīm nāma
known as Saṁyamanī
yamasya dayitāṁ purīm
yamasya
of Lord Yamarāja
dayitām
beloved
purīm
to the city
gatvā janārdanaḥ śaṅkhaṁ
gatvā
going
jana - ardanaḥ
Lord Kṛṣṇa, the abode of all persons
śaṅkham
the conchshell
pradadhmau sa-halāyudhaḥ
pradadhmau
blew loudly
sa
accompanied by
hala - āyudhaḥ
Lord Balarāma, whose weapon is a plow
śaṅkha-nirhrādam ākarṇya
śaṅkha
of the conchshell
nirhrādam
the resounding
ākarṇya
hearing
prajā-saṁyamano yamaḥ
prajā
of those who take birth
saṁyamanaḥ
the restrainer
yamaḥ
Yamarāja
tayoḥ saparyāṁ mahatīṁ
tayoḥ
of Them
saparyām
worship
mahatīm
elaborate
cakre bhakty-upabṛṁhitām
cakre
performed
bhakti
with devotion
upabṛṁhitām
overflowing
uvācāvanataḥ kṛṣṇaṁ
uvāca
he said
avanataḥ
bowing down humbly
kṛṣṇam
to Lord Kṛṣṇa
sarva-bhūtāśayālayam
sarva
of all
bhūta
living beings
āśaya
the minds
ālayam
whose residence
līlā-manuṣyayor viṣṇo
līlā
as Your pastime
manuṣyayoḥ
appearing as human beings
viṣṇo
O Supreme Lord Viṣṇu
yuvayoḥ karavāma kim
yuvayoḥ
for the two of You
karavāma
I should do
kim
what .
  • śaṅkham — the conchshell
    Śaṅkha = conch. Pāñcajanya, the famous conch of Kṛṣṇa, gets its name and provenance in this verse. From this point in the Bhāgavatam onward, every blowing of Kṛṣṇa's conch carries Pañcajana's defeat inside it.
  • saṁyamanīm — (the city named) Saṁyamanī
    Saṁyamanī = the restraining (city) — Yamarāja's capital. From sam + √yam (to restrain). The same root as niyama and saṁyama — death's city is named for the discipline it enforces.
  • prajā - saṁyamanaḥ — the restrainer of those who take birth
    Prajā = the born; saṁyamana = restrainer. Yamarāja's job-description. Bhagavān calls upon the very functionary whose work is to retain souls — the only authority who can release one.
  • bhakti - upabṛṁhitām — overflowing with devotion
    Bhakti + upabṛṁhita (saturated). Yamarāja's worship is bhakti-laden — the Bhāgavatam's explicit textual ground for treating Yamarāja as a Vaiṣṇava (see story).
  • līlā - manuṣyayoḥ — (of) the two who appear as humans in pastime
    Līlā-manuṣya = pastime-human. The form is human, the cause is līlā. Yamarāja himself knows the secret of verses 30-31 (gūhamānau) and pronounces it openly — death-god knows what gurukulam was made to hide.
Lord Janārdana took the conchshell that had grown around the demon’s body and went back to the chariot. Then He proceeded to Saṁyamanī, the beloved capital of Yamarāja, the lord of death. Upon arriving there with Lord Balarāma, He loudly blew His conchshell, and Yamarāja, who keeps the conditioned souls in check, came as soon as he heard the resounding vibration. Yamarāja elaborately worshiped the two Lords with great devotion, and then he addressed Lord Kṛṣṇa, who lives in everyone’s heart: “O Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, what shall I do for You and Lord Balarāma, who are playing the part of ordinary humans?”

The conchshell the Lord took from Pañcajana, which is called Pāñcajanya, is the same one He sounded at the beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā. According to the ācāryas, Pañcajana had become a demon in a way similar to that of Jaya and Vijaya. In other words, though appearing in the form of a demon, he was actually a devotee of the Lord. The Skanda Purāṇa, Avanti-khaṇḍa, describes the wonderful things that happened when Lord Kṛṣṇa sounded His conchshell: asipatra-vanaṁ nāma śīrṇa-patram ajāyata rauravaṁ nāma narakam arauravam abhūt tada abhairavaṁ bhairavākhyaṁ kumbhī-pākam apācakam “The hell known as Asipatra-vana lost the sharp, swordlike leaves on its trees, and the hell named Raurava became free of its ruru beasts. The Bhairava hell lost its fearfulness, and all cooking stopped in the Kumbhīpāka hell.” The Skanda Purāṇa further states: pāpa-kṣayāt tataḥ sarve vimuktā nārakā narāḥ padam avyayam āsādya “Their sinful reactions eradicated, all the inhabitants of hell attained liberation and approached the spiritual world.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Lord Janārdana took the conchshell that had grown around the demon's body and went back to the chariot. Then He proceeded to Saṁyamanī, the beloved capital of Yamarāja, the lord of death. Upon arriving there with Lord Balarāma, He loudly blew His conchshell, and Yamarāja, who keeps the conditioned souls in check, came as soon as he heard the resounding vibration. Yamarāja elaborately worshiped the two Lords with great devotion, and then he addressed Lord Kṛṣṇa, who lives in everyone's heart: "O Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, what shall I do for You and Lord Balarāma, who are playing the part of ordinary humans?"
Commentary

Krsna blew the conch and all the inhabitants of hell were delivered on hearing the sound. The Avanti Khanda says, "All the knife like leaves of the sword plant in hell dried up. Raurava lost is savage quality and Bhairava lost its frightful aspect. Kumbhipaka lost its power of cooking. All the inhabitants of hell were purified of their sins and attained prema bhakti." He also sent the inhabitants of hell to Vaikuntha. There are two readings: lila manusyoh visnvoh and lila manusya he visno. "What service can I do for you two forms of Visnu playing the roles of humans?" Or "O Visnu who plays the pastimes of a human, what service can I do for you two?"

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The conch is actually the eternal associate of the Lord. By a curse of a brāhmaṇa he took the role of a demon like Jaya and Vijaya. In the hand of Kṛṣṇa, by his will, the conch took on a delicate form with suitable sound. Avantī-khaṇḍa says:’ tataḥ pañca-janaṁ hatvā grāha-rūpaṁ mahāsuram | tan-madhyasthaṁ sa jagrāha śaṅkhaṁ grastaṁ hi yat purā || tasyodare yadā bālaṁ nāptavāmṣ tam janārdanaḥ yamālaya-gataṁ matvā tadā varuṇam abravīt bhagavan yādasām īśa ratho me dīyatāṁ mahān yenāhaṁ vihitātmā hi paśye haṁ saṅgare yaman purājire hatā daiyā dānavā bala-garvitāḥ tayā yena rathenādya mahyaṁ sa dīyatāṁ rathaḥ Killing Pañcajana, the great serpent demon who took possession of the conch as his house previously, Kṛṣṇa grasped him by his middle. Not obtaining the boy in the demon’s stomach, Kṛṣṇa thought the child had gone to Yama’s abode and then spoke to Varuṇa. “O lord of the aquatics! Give me a huge chariot by which I can face Yama in battle. Formerly with that chariot you killed demons who were proud of their strength. Today give me that chariot. The city of Yama is called dear (dayitām) since Kṛṣṇa had ascertained that the boy was there. Janardanaḥ means “he who fulfils all the desires of his devotees.” It is understood that at this time Balarāma manifested his plough since he is called halāyudha in this verse. The effect of blowing the conch is described in Avantī-khaṇḍa: tena śabdena vitrastāḥ kṛtāntālaya-vāsinaḥ | narakāntargatā martyāḥ pāpācāra-parāyaṇāḥ || sukham āpuḥ praśāntāś ca vahnayaḥ kṛṣṇa-darśanāt | śastrāṇi kuṇṭhatāṁ prāpur yantrāṇi vividhāni ca || vidīrṇāni tadā vyāsa vāsudevasya darśanāt | asi-patra-vanaṁ nāma śīrṇa-patram ajāyata || rauravaṁ nāma narakam arauravam abhūt tadā | abhairavaṁ bhairavākhyaṁ kumbhīpākam apācakam || śṛṅgāṭakam aśṛṅgāṭaṁ loha-sūcy apy asūcitām | jagāma jagatām īśe prāpte tatra janārdane || hasta-mātra-tarā jātā tadā vaitaraṇī nṛṇām | narakānte tadā yāte tatra viśveṣvare bibhau || pāpa-kṣayāt tataḥ sarve vimuktā nārakā narāḥ | padam avyayam āsādya dṛṣṭvā viṣṇuṁ tamopaham || vimānāyuta-sāhasrair ārūḍhās te samantataḥ | samīkṣya puṇḍarīkāksāṁ muktās te sarva-pātakāt || tataḥ śūnyaṁ mune jātaṁ sarvaṁ niraya-manḍalam | darśanāt tasya devasya viṣṇor viṣva-svarūpiṇaḥ || By the sound of the conch, the most sinful in hell gave up their fear and became happy. The fires of hell became peaceful on seeing Kṛṣṇa. All the swords became blunt on seeing him and all the torture machines fell apart on seeing him. O Vyāsa! The blades in Asipatra hell broke. Raurava lost its cruelty. The hell called Bhaivara lost its fearful nature. Kumbhipāka hell did not cook anyone. When Kṛṣṇa arrived, the hell in which sinners are thrown from a mountain gave up its terrible nature. The iron needles lost their power of stitching. The Vaitaranī River, hard to cross, became easy to cross. When the Lord of the universe arrived, everyone became liberated because their sins were destroyed. Seeing Kṛṣṇa, they attained the indestructible abode. Getting on millions of airplanes, they looked at the lotus-eyed Lord and became free of all sin. O sage! When everyone saw the Lord of lords, the form of the universe, hell became empty. Yama is described as prajā-saṁyamanaḥ: confining the citizens. This indicates his fearful nature. A battle is also indicated with Yama. Viṣṇu Purāṇa says jitvā vaivasvataṁ yamam: he defeated Yamarāja. This is also elaborately described in Avantī-khaṇḍa. Since Kṛṣṇa dwells in everyone’s heart, he knows if a person is telling the truth. He is called viṣṇu because he is the lord of the universe. Yama is therefore his servant. You two have forms of humans who perform significant pastimes. Līla-manuṣya he is an alternative version. Līlā-manuṣyayor viṣṇoḥ however is accepted by Śrīdhara Svāmī. Yama addresses only Kṛṣṇa. This will be explained in the commentary on verse 47. Please order me what I should do for you.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The conch is actually the eternal associate of the Lord. By a curse of a brāhmaṇa he took the role of a demon like Jaya and Vijaya. Seeing Kṛsṇa coming from far off, Yama thought that death was approaching. The place was dear to Yama because he lived there with his associates. Balarāma manifested his club for fighting. As best of devotees and king of dharma, Yama was expected to worship the Lord in his house. (Janardanaḥ means he who has expectations from people). Kṛṣṇa blew the conch loudly (pra-dadhmau). The citizens were persons who had committed sins. Yama was their punisher (saṁyamanaḥ). He was thus fearsome. Or taking his authority from the Lord, he was defeated in battle. This is understood from Viṣṇu Purāṇa. taṁ pāñcajanyam āpūrya gatvā yamapuraṁ hariḥ / baladevaś ca balavāṣ jitvā vaivasvataṁ yamam // taṁ bālaṁ yātanā-saṁsthaṁ yathā pūrva-śarīriṇam / pitre pradattavān kṛṣṇo balaś ca balināṁ varaḥ // Blowing the conch and going to Yama’s abode, strong Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma defeated strong Yama, whose abode was filled with painful torture. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, best of the strong, gave the boy, with his previous body, to his father. Tato vaivasvataṁ daivaṁ nirjitya puruṣottamaḥ Ānināya guroh putraṁ ciranaṣṭaṁ yamakṣayāt The Lord after defeating Yama took his guru’s son who had not died from Yama’s abode. Hari-vaṁśa Or he is the person who controls all beings, purifying them and establishing rules by giving results of dharma and adharma. He is thus completely proper in giving benefit to the people. Thus he worshipped the two with production or increase of bhakti. Kṛṣṇa dwells in everyone’s heart. The Lord will think, “He is my devotee. In order to see me he has brought the guru’s dead son here. He has committed no offense.” Thus Kṛṣṇa will be merciful to me. Yama speaks to Kṛṣṇa since he is the main person. O Lord who pervades everywhere (viṣṇo)! I am your servant. What can I do for you two? He recognizes Balarāma’ position as an elder brother. You have human forms full of pastimes or you are humans for performing pastimes. Please tell me what we can do for you. The plural is used to indicate his followers also. Or what can we do? Since you are complete, as the Lord, we can give you nothing. The plural is used to indicate his senses.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Apaishunam (Non-slander)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)
Related verses
Concepts
Dharma
Janārdana takes the conch from the demon, goes to Yamarāja's capital Saṁyamanī, blows the conch loudly; Yama, knowing all souls' karma, comes out to receive them. The Pāñcajanya — the same conch sounded at the start of the Gītā — is sourced from this demon.
Reflection Questions
  • What 'weapon' in your life originated in defeating a particular demon?
  • Where does the symbol of a victory get used in the next mission?

Bhagavān takes the conch born of Pañcajana's body, returns to the chariot, drives to Saṁyamanī (Yamarāja's capital), and blows the conch. Yamarāja, recognizing the sound, comes out humbly and worships the Lords with bhakti, asking what he can do for these two who play the part of humans. The Lord of death is the next door to knock on — even there, bhakti is the language spoken.

Yamarāja the devotee in Bhāgavata theology

Yamarāja appears in the Bhāgavatam not primarily as a punisher but as a devotee — notably in SB 6.3, where he instructs his Yamadūtas that the protectors of all living beings are devotees of Viṣṇu, not himself; that his rod has no jurisdiction over the surrendered. The Ajāmila story rests on Yamarāja's own confession of subordination.

Here in chapter 45 the same Yamarāja worships Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma with elaborate bhakti and asks, 'what may I do for the two of You?' Gauḍīyas often cite this verse alongside SB 6.3 as proof that the Bhāgavatam's death-god is doctrinally a Vaiṣṇava — a guardian, not an adversary, for those who turn toward Bhagavān.

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