FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.66.42

दग्ध्वा वाराणसीं सर्वां विष्णोश्चक्रं सुदर्शनम् । भूय: पार्श्वमुपातिष्ठत् कृष्णस्याक्लिष्टकर्मण: ॥ ४२ ॥
dagdhvā vārāṇasīṁ sarvāṁ
[dagdhvaa vaaraanaseem sarvaam]
viṣṇoś cakraṁ sudarśanam
[vishnosh chakram sudarshanam]
bhūyaḥ pārśvam upātiṣṭhat
[bhooyah paarshvam upaatishthat]
kṛṣṇasyākliṣṭa-karmaṇaḥ
[krishnasyaaklishta-karmanah]
dagdhvā — having burned vārāṇasīm — Vārāṇasī sarvām — all viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu cakram — the disc sudarśanam — Sudarśana bhūyaḥ — once again pārśvam — the side upātiṣṭhat — went to kṛṣṇasya — of Kṛṣṇa akliṣṭa — without trouble or fatigue karmaṇaḥ — whose actions .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
dagdhvā vārāṇasīṁ sarvāṁ
dagdhvā
having burned
vārāṇasīm
Vārāṇasī
sarvām
all
viṣṇoś cakraṁ sudarśanam
viṣṇoḥ
of Lord Viṣṇu
cakram
the disc
sudarśanam
Sudarśana
bhūyaḥ pārśvam upātiṣṭhat
bhūyaḥ
once again
pārśvam
the side
upātiṣṭhat
went to
kṛṣṇasyākliṣṭa-karmaṇaḥ
kṛṣṇasya
of Kṛṣṇa
akliṣṭa
without trouble or fatigue
karmaṇaḥ
whose actions .
  • dagdhvā — having burned
    Absolutive of √dah (to burn). A single past-active form for the destruction of an ancient city. Gauḍīyas note the Bhāgavata's lexical restraint — Vyāsa does not elaborate the burning; he names it and moves on, because the disc itself moves on.
  • sudarśanam — Sudarśana
    Literally 'beautiful-seeing.' The name's etymology is the chapter's quiet joke: a 'beautiful-seeing' weapon that has just rendered a city un-seeable. Gauḍīyas resolve the irony: Sudarśana is beautiful-to-see for those who see Kṛṣṇa in it; only the offender sees fire.
  • pārśvam upātiṣṭhat — went to His side
    Phrase: pārśva (side) + upa-√sthā (to stand near). Returns to the same standing-position from verse 38. The chapter's frame: Sudarśana at His side, mission, side again. The disc's permanent address is Kṛṣṇa's shoulder.
  • akliṣṭa-karmaṇaḥ — whose actions are without trouble or fatigue
    Compound: akliṣṭa (untroubled, unfatigued) + karman (action), genitive. A favorite Gauḍīya epithet of Bhagavān. Akliṣṭa-karmā — the Lord whose works cost Him nothing. He fought a duel, dispatched a disc, burned a city, and the verse names His action 'without trouble.'
  • bhūyaḥ — once again
    Adverb. The 'again' that closes the chapter's circle. The disc went out; the disc came back. Gauḍīyas note: the entire chapter rhymes its returns — Pauṇḍraka's words return to him (verse 19); the kṛtyā returns to its summoner (verse 40); the disc returns to the Lord (this verse). The pattern is the chapter's signature.
After burning down the entire city of Vārāṇasī, Lord Viṣṇu’s Sudarśana cakra returned to the side of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose actions are effortless.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
After burning down the entire city of Vārāṇasī, Lord Viṣṇu's Sudarśana cakra returned to the side of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose actions are effortless.
Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The cakra was always beautiful to behold (sudarśanam). This pastime is not astonishing since the Lord’s actions take place without effort (akliṣṭa-karmaṇaḥ).

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The phrase “burning down” is repeated to emphasize how the cakra completely burned everything. Thus it is called the cakra of the pervading Lord (viṣṇoḥ). Or the description is given to indicate the cakra’s complete dedication to the Lord and its exceptional power. Therefore the cakra again stood by the Lord as his devotee (upa). It was most beautiful (sudarśaṇam) since it belonged to Kṛṣṇa, endowed with all qualities, whose actions produce happiness for all, or easily destroy all suffering (akliṣṭākarmaṇaḥ).

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Udyama (Industriousness / Effort)Brahmacharya (Self-discipline / Restraint)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Bhakti (Devotion)Vinaya (Humility / Modesty)Prema (Divine Love)Samata (Equanimity / Even-mindedness)
Related verses
Having done its work, the Sudarśana returned to Kṛṣṇa's side as if nothing had happened. The Lord's actions are effortless — vast outcomes flow from Him without strain.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I straining to do what Kṛṣṇa could accomplish through me effortlessly?
  • What would relaxed cooperation with the Lord's will feel like today?

An obedient son finishes the errand and returns home — Sudarśana, having burned a city, comes back to stand at the Lord's side as quietly as it left. The disc's silence at return is part of its terror: it does not ask permission, does not boast, does not linger; it does what is asked and returns.

📝 My note

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