FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.59.9

तदापतद् वै त्रिशिखं गरुत्मते हरि: शराभ्यामभिनत्‍त्रिधोजसा । मुखेषु तं चापि शरैरताडयत् तस्मै गदां सोऽपि रुषा व्यमुञ्चत ॥ ९ ॥
tadāpatad vai tri-śikhaṁ garutmate
[tadaapatad vai tri-shikham garutmate]
hariḥ śarābhyām abhinat tridhojasā
[harih sharaabhyaam abhinat tridhojasaa]
mukheṣu taṁ cāpi śarair atāḍayat
[mukheshu tam chaapi sharair ataadayat]
tasmai gadāṁ so ’pi ruṣā vyamuñcata
[tasmai gadaam so ’pi rushaa vyamunchata]
tadā — then āpatat — flying vai — indeed tri - śikham — the trident garutmate — toward Garuḍa hariḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa śarābhyām — with two arrows abhinat — broke tridhā — into three pieces ojasā — forcefully mukheṣu — on his faces tam — him, Mura ca — and api — also śaraiḥ — with arrows atāḍayat — He struck tasmai — at Him, Lord Kṛṣṇa gadām — his club saḥ — he, Mura api — and ruṣā — in anger vyamuñcata — released .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tadāpatad vai tri-śikhaṁ garutmate
tadā
then
āpatat
flying
vai
indeed
tri - śikham
the trident
garutmate
toward Garuḍa
hariḥ śarābhyām abhinat tridhojasā
hariḥ
Lord Kṛṣṇa
śarābhyām
with two arrows
abhinat
broke
tridhā
into three pieces
ojasā
forcefully
mukheṣu taṁ cāpi śarair atāḍayat
mukheṣu
on his faces
tam
him, Mura
ca
and
api
also
śaraiḥ
with arrows
atāḍayat
He struck
tasmai gadāṁ so ’pi ruṣā vyamuñcata
tasmai
at Him, Lord Kṛṣṇa
gadām
his club
saḥ
he, Mura
api
and
ruṣā
in anger
vyamuñcata
released .
  • śarābhyām — with two arrows
    Dual instrumental of śara. The Bhāgavatam's combat scenes regularly notice the exact number of arrows — Kṛṣṇa's archery is precise, not excessive. Two arrows for a three-pronged trident split into three is the kind of detail Gauḍīya kathā-vācakas relish.
  • tridhā — into three pieces
    Adverb from tri. The trident with three points dies in three pieces — a poet's symmetry. The verse rewards close reading; nothing is wasted.
  • ruṣā — in anger
    Instrumental of ruṣ (anger). Mura's emotional state at the moment of action — Gauḍīyas note that anger directed at Bhagavān, though demoniac, still binds the asura's attention to Him, and Kṛṣṇa accepts even this currency.
  • vyamuñcata — released
    From vi + √muc (to let go). The same root that names mukti — even the demon's hurling of his club is a 'release', a darker rhyme of the liberation he is moments away from receiving.
Then with two arrows Lord Hari struck the trident flying toward Garuḍa and broke it into three pieces. Next the Lord hit Mura’s faces with several arrows, and the demon angrily hurled his club at the Lord.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Then with two arrows Lord Hari struck the trident flying toward Garuḍa and broke it into three pieces. Next the Lord hit Mura's faces with several arrows, and the demon angrily hurled his club at the Lord.
Commentary

Krsna broke the trident which was approaching Garuda into three pieces with two arrows. Mura then threw a club at Krsna.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The trident approached Garuḍa but did not reach him. Quickly (ojasā) Kṛṣṇa shot two arrows. The word api indicates the Lord’s great ability. Out of anger Mura opened his mouths and Kṛṣṇa shot arrows into them, striking them all at the same time.

Concepts
Jiva
With two arrows Hari breaks the trident into three pieces, then strikes Mura's faces with several arrows; the demon hurls his club. Surgical first strikes; then escalation continues.
Reflection Questions
  • Where does the Lord's surgical first response handle most of a threat before you realized it was over?
  • How do you read His efficient interventions?

An archer splits a falling spear with two arrows the way a master calligrapher cancels a wrong stroke with two precise lines — economy without flourish. Kṛṣṇa does not destroy more than necessary; the demon is left with his anger to expend, which is itself part of his liberation.

📝 My note

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