Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.54.21
इत्युक्त्वा रथमारुह्य सारथिं प्राह सत्वर: ।
चोदयाश्वान् यत: कृष्ण: तस्य मे संयुगं भवेत् ॥ २१ ॥
ity uktvā ratham āruhya
[ity uktvaa ratham aaruhya]
sārathiṁ prāha satvaraḥ
[saarathim praaha satvarah]
codayāśvān yataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
[chodayaashvaan yatah krishnah]
tasya me saṁyugaṁ bhavet
[tasya me samyugam bhavet]
Word-for-word
iti
—
thus
uktvā
—
speaking
ratham
—
on his chariot
āruhya
—
climbing
sārathim
—
to his driver
prāha
—
said
satvaraḥ
—
quickly
codaya
—
drive
aśvān
—
the horses
yataḥ
—
to where
kṛṣṇaḥ
—
Kṛṣṇa
tasya
—
His
me
—
with me
saṁyugam
—
fight
bhavet
—
must be .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ity uktvā ratham āruhya
iti
thus
uktvā
speaking
ratham
on his chariot
āruhya
climbing
sārathiṁ prāha satvaraḥ
sārathim
to his driver
prāha
said
satvaraḥ
quickly
codayāśvān yataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
codaya
drive
aśvān
the horses
yataḥ
to where
kṛṣṇaḥ
Kṛṣṇa
tasya me saṁyugaṁ bhavet
tasya
His
me
with me
saṁyugam
fight
bhavet
must be .
Important Words
-
sārathim
—
to his driver
Sa (with) + ratha (chariot). The same word for the role Kṛṣṇa Himself fills for Arjuna at Kurukṣetra. The contrast is exact: Rukmī commands a sārathi; Arjuna receives one who is the Lord. The choice of sārathi defines the rasa.
-
codaya
—
drive
Imperative of √cud, 'to impel.' The same root in 'pra-codayāt' of the Gāyatrī (Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Up. 5.14.1). Rukmī uses the verb of divine impulsion to demand purely material speed — a small theft of vocabulary.
-
saṁyugam
—
battle / meeting
Same root as v. 13's saṁyugāni — 'meeting.' Rukmī asks for a meeting with Kṛṣṇa; he will get one, but not the one he expects. Every meeting with Bhagavān, even hostile, leaves the asura altered.
-
satvaraḥ
—
quickly
Sat (with) + tvara (haste). The grammatical irony — 'with hurry' the very prefix sat-, also names truth. He moves with hurry, but no truth.
-
yataḥ
—
to where
Relative adverb. Wherever Kṛṣṇa is — that becomes the destination. Even the demon's grammar bends in this direction. Gauḍīya commentators love such accidents.
Having said this, he had mounted his chariot and told his charioteer, “Drive the horses quickly to where Kṛṣṇa is. He and I must fight.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Having said this, he had mounted his chariot and told his charioteer, "Drive the horses quickly to where Kṛṣṇa is. He and I must fight.
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
Drive the horses to where Kṛṣṇa is, even it is his impenetrable fort of Dvārakā. Why? He should fight with me. The potential mood is used (bhavet) to express his strong wish or to express purpose. Drive the horses so that I may fight with him.
Related values & verses
Related values
Saurya (Heroism / Bravery)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Nyaya (Justice / Righteous Judgment)Raksha (Protective Responsibility)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Daya (Compassion / Mercy)Discriminative WisdomSeva (Service / Selfless Action)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Satya (Truthfulness)
Related verses
Concepts
Jiva
Personal Guidance
Mounting his chariot, Rukmī tells the charioteer to drive quickly to Kṛṣṇa: he and I must fight. Personal combat ambition isolates the individual; the army follows but the duel is private.
Reflection Questions
- Where does ambition for personal duel separate you from your army's actual strategy?
- How do you discern when collective action is wiser than individual combat?
Analogy
Like a moth flying into the lamp while shouting threats at the flame, Rukmī commands the charioteer to drive him faster toward Kṛṣṇa. The Lord obliges every approach — even one in fury.
My note
Source: vedabase.io