FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.58.43

सप्तैते गोवृषा वीर दुर्दान्ता दुरवग्रहा: । एतैर्भग्ना: सुबहवो भिन्नगात्रा नृपात्मजा: ॥ ४३ ॥
saptaite go-vṛṣā vīra
[saptaite go-vrishaa veera]
durdāntā duravagrahāḥ
[durdaantaa duravagrahaah]
etair bhagnāḥ su-bahavo
[etair bhagnaah su-bahavo]
bhinna-gātrā nṛpātmajāḥ
[bhinna-gaatraa nripaatmajaah]
Word-for-word
sapta — seven ete — these go - vṛṣāḥ — bulls vīra — O hero durdāntāḥ — wild duravagrahāḥ — unbreakable etaiḥ — by them bhagnāḥ — defeated su - bahavaḥ — very many bhinna — broken gātrāḥ — their limbs nṛpa — of kings ātma - jāḥ — sons .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
saptaite go-vṛṣā vīra
sapta
seven
durdāntā duravagrahāḥ
etair bhagnāḥ su-bahavo
ete
these
go - vṛṣāḥ
bulls
vīra
O hero
durdāntāḥ
wild
duravagrahāḥ
unbreakable
etaiḥ
by them
bhagnāḥ
defeated
su - bahavaḥ
very many
bhinna-gātrā nṛpātmajāḥ
bhinna
broken
gātrāḥ
their limbs
nṛpa
of kings
ātma - jāḥ
sons .
Important Words
  • durdāntāḥ — wild
    From dur + √dam — untameable. The standard Sanskrit adjective for what no taming has subdued. Gauḍīya: every durdānta thing in the world meets its damana in Kṛṣṇa; cf. Kāliya-damana, Aghāsura-damana.
  • duravagrahāḥ — unbreakable (resistant to restraint)
    From dur + ava + √grah — hard to hold. Even ropes will not bind them ordinarily. Gauḍīya: Bhagavān binds the unbindable just as Yaśodā fails and then succeeds with the dāmodara-rope (SB 10.9) — the chapter's verse 46 will echo bāla-līlā.
  • bhinna - gātrāḥ — broken-limbed
    Compound bhinna (broken) + gātra (limb). The bulls have broken many princes' bones. The verse counts the casualties so the reader knows the cost. Gauḍīya: Bhagavān's līlā does not minimise others' suffering; it transcends it.
These seven wild bulls are impossible to tame, O hero. They have defeated many princes, breaking their limbs.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
These seven wild bulls are impossible to tame, O hero. They have defeated many princes, breaking their limbs.
Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Clearing himself and his people of fault, he then explains the rule. When Kṛṣṇa accepted, the king went to the bull pen and pointed with his finger. These (ete) are the seven bulls. They have broken the limbs of the princes and defeated them. By this he suggests that by this he had arranged for the defeat of the princes who were Kṛṣṇa’s enemies. O hero (vīra), by your strength you will control the bulls.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

These (ete) are the seven bulls. He indicates their presence by pointing with his finger. Because of them or by them, many princes have been defeated, because their limbs were broken. They were sons of kings—young and strong. O hero (vīra)! By your prowess you will tie them up, all by yourself. O joy of the Yadus! You should to this to give joy to the Yadus. O husband of Lakṣmī! I agree to this because you are the master of Lakṣmī.

Related values & verses
Related values
Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Yajña (Sacrifice / Spirit of Offering)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Discriminative WisdomSeva (Service / Selfless Action)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Santosha (Contentment)
Related verses
BG 12.6 BG 16.1 BG 18.1 BG 17.4 BG 8.1 BG 8.2 BG 13.8
Concepts
JivaDana
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
These seven wild bulls have defeated many princes, breaking their limbs. The cost of failure is named honestly; tests can have real consequences.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do you understate the cost of tests you are willing to attempt?
  • How does honest naming sharpen choice?
Analogy

An obstacle is described in its full violence so that its overcoming will register as miracle, not happenstance. The bulls are introduced as breakers of bones — to leave no doubt about what bones must be broken in return.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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