Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.57.11
सोऽपि कृतोद्यमं ज्ञात्वा भीत: प्राणपरीप्सया ।
साहाय्ये कृतवर्माणमयाचत स चाब्रवीत् ॥ ११ ॥
so ’pi kṛtodyamaṁ jñātvā
[so ’pi kritodyamam jnaatvaa]
bhītaḥ prāṇa-parīpsayā
[bheetah praana-pareepsayaa]
sāhāyye kṛtavarmāṇam
[saahaayye kritavarmaanam]
ayācata sa cābravīt
[ayaachata sa chaabraveet]
Word-for-word
saḥ
—
he (Śatadhanvā)
api
—
also
kṛta - udyamam
—
preparing Himself
jñātvā
—
learning
bhītaḥ
—
frightened
prāṇa
—
his life air
parīpsayā
—
wishing to save
sāhāyye
—
for assistance
kṛtavarmāṇam
—
Kṛtavarmā
ayācata
—
he entreated
saḥ
—
he
ca
—
and
abravīt
—
said .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
so ’pi kṛtodyamaṁ jñātvā
bhītaḥ prāṇa-parīpsayā
saḥ
he (Śatadhanvā)
api
also
sāhāyye kṛtavarmāṇam
kṛta - udyamam
preparing Himself
jñātvā
learning
bhītaḥ
frightened
prāṇa
his life air
parīpsayā
wishing to save
ayācata sa cābravīt
sāhāyye
for assistance
kṛtavarmāṇam
Kṛtavarmā
ayācata
he entreated
saḥ
he
ca
and
abravīt
said .
Important Words
-
bhītaḥ
—
frightened
Past participle of √bhī. The Bhāgavata frames Śatadhanvā by a single word: he is afraid. Gauḍīyas read this against Bhagavad-gītā 5.29's promise — peace comes to one who knows Kṛṣṇa as suhṛd. The opposite knower (one who has wronged Kṛṣṇa's relations) is frozen by fear.
-
prāṇa - parīpsayā
—
out of the desire to save his life
Compound: prāṇa (life) + parī-√āp (to seek to obtain) + -ā (instr. fem.). The whole verse pivots on this phrase — Śatadhanvā suddenly cares about prāṇa, having moments ago cared about a gem. Gauḍīyas note: lobha forgets death until death approaches.
-
sāhāyye
—
for assistance
Locative of sāhāyya (helpfulness). The technical word for an alliance against an enemy. He asks the co-conspirator for sāhāyya against Kṛṣṇa — the impossibility of which sets up the next three verses' confessions.
-
kṛtavarmāṇam
—
Kṛtavarmā
Accusative of Kṛtavarmā, the Yādava chief who fought on the Kaurava side at Kurukṣetra. Gauḍīyas trace his trajectory: complicit here, later partisan against the Pāṇḍavas, eventually destroyed in the Yādava infighting. The chapter shows the first slip.
Upon learning that Lord Kṛṣṇa was preparing to kill him, Śatadhanvā was struck with fear. To save his life he approached Kṛtavarmā and begged him for help, but Kṛtavarmā replied as follows.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Upon learning that Lord Kṛṣṇa was preparing to kill him, Śatadhanvā was struck with fear. To save his life he approached Kṛtavarmā and begged him for help, but Kṛtavarmā replied as follows.
Commentary
Satabhama also returned, and explained that Krsna and Balarama could not bring her father back to life, and had thus lamented.
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
He desired to save his life only, not his reputation or dharma. He desired to save his life completely (pari), with no injury. He had a desire for life which was almost gone. He went to Kṛtavarmā first since he was a commander. He doubted Akrūra would help since he was a great devotee.
Related values & verses
Related values
Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Dhriti (Resilience / Steadfastness / Fortitude)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender to God)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Udyama (Industriousness / Effort)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Satya (Truthfulness)Santosha (Contentment)Dhairya (Composure / Courage)
Related verses
Concepts
DharmaJiva
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Personal Guidance
Learning the Lord is preparing to kill him, Śatadhanvā is struck with fear and approaches Kṛtavarmā for help. The criminal seeks the inciter's protection; both will fail him.
Reflection Questions
- Where do you seek protection from those who encouraged the very act now threatening you?
- How do you discern reliable protectors from interested instigators?
Analogy
The murderer who has the jewel discovers the gem cannot protect him — a stolen opulence is heavy in the hand and useless against Kṛṣṇa's pursuit. Śatadhanvā begs Kṛtavarmā for shelter, the way every soul living off plunder eventually asks someone weaker than Bhagavān for help.
My note
Source: vedabase.io