Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.45.9
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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kṣantum
—
to forgive
Infinitive of √kṣam — to bear, to forgive. Kṣamā is itself a quality of saints (BG 16.3); Bhagavān asks His parents to exercise it on Him. The role-reversal is the verse's heart.
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para - tantrayoḥ
—
under the control of others
Para = other; tantra = control. The opposite of svatantra (independent). Bhagavān, the only truly svatantra-tattva (cf. SB 1.1.1, janmādy asya yataḥ), declares Himself para-tantra — vātsalya's grammar.
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śuśrūṣām
—
service
From śuśrūṣā, the desiderative of √śru — the desire to hear, to attend upon. The classical word for personal service to elders and gurus. Foreshadows verse 32 where Kṛṣṇa renders śuśrūṣā at Sāndīpani's gurukula.
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durhṛdā
—
by the hardhearted
Dur + hṛd — bad-hearted, malicious. Kaṁsa is named only by epithet here; the verse keeps his name off the lips during the apology so the rasa stays clean.
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kliṣṭayoḥ
—
(Us) caused pain
From √kliś — to torment. Same root as kleśa (the five afflictions of yoga). Bhagavān, who is sat-cit-ānanda, accepts the predicate kliṣṭa within His līlā so that His parents' historical anguish receives Lord-side acknowledgment.
According to Sanskrit grammar, the words para-tantrayoḥ and kliṣṭayoḥ may also refer to Vasudeva and Devakī. Actually, Vasudeva and Devakī were under the control of Providence and were disturbed by the activities of Kaṁsa, whereas Śrī Kṛṣṇa is always the absolute Personality of Godhead.
"Please forgive us (nauh). We could not serve you, who were dependent upon evil minded Kamsa, and yet were tormented by him."
You should forgive us for not serving you (tat). He addresses them as father and mother again in order to arouse affection in them. Since you are our father and mother, you should forgive us for not serving you since we were dependent--living in hiding and afflicted by evil Kaṁsa (duhṛdā).
They call out to their parents to invoke their affection. Forgive us for not being able to serve you, since we were not independent. The parents should forgive the offense of the children out of affection. Moreover we had to hide and were persecuted by Kaṁsa.
- When did you last ask forgiveness from a parent for something specific?
- Where does pride still block this most basic act?
Bhagavān asks His own parents for kṣamā the way a guest asks the host for forgiveness for being delayed by a storm — except the storm here was Kaṁsa, and the Guest is the Self of all selves. The asking is the gift; Yogamāyā lets them hear it as their boy speaking.
Throughout Canto 10, Bhagavān repeatedly displays para-tantratā — submission to the situation His own līlā has set up. He runs from Jarāsandha (SB 10.50, 'Raṇacchora'), He is bound by Yaśodā (SB 10.9), He is rebuked by Satrājit (SB 10.56). Gauḍīya ācāryas read these as the deepest aiśvarya of all: He whose svātantrya is absolute consents to be para-tantra in prema.
Here Kṛṣṇa says He is para-tantra under cruel Kaṁsa — not in truth, but in the rasa-world He inhabits as Devakī's son. The forgiveness He asks is the forgiveness only a child can ask.
My note
Source: vedabase.io