Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.51.47
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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ajita
—
O unconquerable one
Vocative — Ajita, one of Bhagavān's names (the Unconquered). Mucukunda confesses his wasted time to the very Person no one can conquer. The asymmetry is precisely the point: the confessant addresses the One whose strength makes confession safe.
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niṣphalaḥ
—
fruitlessly
From nis (without) + phala (fruit). His royal years bore no real phala because not offered to Bhagavān. Gauḍīyas read all karma not offered to Kṛṣṇa as phala-less in the ultimate sense — Gītā 9.27 is the cure.
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rājya-śriyā
—
by royal opulence
Compound: rājya (kingdom) + śriyā (opulence). The double intoxication — power and wealth. Vaiṣṇavas note: rājya-śrī is real, but bewildering when not offered to Bhagavān; offered, it becomes Yudhiṣṭhira's rājasūya.
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martya-ātma-buddheḥ
—
with mentality of body-as-self
Compound: martya (mortal body) + ātma (self) + buddheḥ (with intellect identifying). The dehātma-buddhi — the root error Gītā 2 attacks. Mucukunda names it precisely; bhakti requires its dissolution.
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duranta-cintayā
—
with endless anxiety
Compound: duranta (uncrossable) + cintayā (with worry). The interior cost of dehātma-buddhi. Vaiṣṇavas teach that anxiety is structurally inseparable from misidentification — only Bhagavān as refuge ends cintā.
Having in the previous verse condemned those who misuse the valuable human form of life for mundane purposes, Mucukunda now admits that he himself falls into this category. He intelligently wants to take advantage of the Lord’s association and become a pure devotee once and for all.
Who I criticized in the previous verse is actually myself. That is made clear in this verse. I think of the body as the self (martya atma buddheh).
I am not any different. I have wasted so many yugas. Why? You have not brought people like me under control (ajita). He explains the obstacle to devotion. I have identified myself as a controller of the whole world. Then I became increasingly intoxicated with the wealth of my kingdom. Then I identified with my mortal body and became attached to sons, wife, treasury and land. Then I was overcome with unending worries (duranta-cintayā) about gaining more, as explained in the Gītā. Idam adya mayā labdham: so much have I gained today. (BG 16.13) Or I was overcome with worries from suffering. Not only was my time spent uselessly, but it was full of grief also.
I have wasted many yugas (eṣaḥ kālaḥ). This is the best time, since you have appeared now (eṣaḥ kālaḥ) but I have wasted it. Or this time at the end of Dvārapā has been wasted. O Lord not under the control of time (ajita)! Or O Lord who has not been controlled by me through bhakti! Thus my time has been wasted. I think I am a king and have become completely intoxicated with domain and wealth. Thus I think I am the body. Or because I think I am the body, I identify as a king and become intoxicated. I am constantly worried about raising children etc. That is described in the following. idam adya mayā labdham: today I have obtained this. (BG 16.13) Or I was overcome with worries ending in suffering. Not only was my time spent uselessly, but it was full of grief also. Or a person like me does not worship your lotus feet. Thus I pass my life uselessly. But not only is it useless because of not worshipping you. It gives suffering because of worrying about the kingdom. I am not any different. I have wasted so many yugas. Why? You have not brought people like me under control (ajita). He explains the obstacle to devotion. I have identified myself as a controller of the whole world. Then I became increasingly intoxicated with the wealth of my kingdom. Then I identified with my mortal body and became attached to sons, wife, treasury and land. Then I was overcome with unending worries (duranta-cintayā) about gaining more, as explained in the Gītā. Idam adya mayā labdham: so much have I gained today. (BG 16.13) Or I was overcome with worries ending in suffering. Not only was my time spent uselessly, but it was full of grief also.
- What specific past attachments could you name in honest confession?
- How does specific confession free what general lament cannot?
Mucukunda confesses: 'My whole time as king was wasted in intoxication — taking the body for the self, treasuring sons, wives, treasury, land, suffering endless anxiety.' The kṣatriya-vīra is now the kṣatriya-vinaya — strength turned to confession.
My note
Source: vedabase.io