Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.72.16
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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brahma-liṅga
—
the signs (dress and demeanor) of brāhmaṇas
Compound. Liṅga here is mark, sign, outward feature. Cf. verse 24-25 dvija-rūpiṇe and vipra-vyājena — the same theological pattern: Bhagavān's appearance as brāhmaṇa to harvest a generous kṣatriya's destiny.
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girivrajam
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Girivraja (Jarāsandha's fortress city)
Accusative. Literally 'enclosure of hills' — five hills ring the city, making it impregnable to armies. Kṛṣṇa bypasses the geography by bypassing the army altogether.
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bṛhadratha-sutaḥ
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the son of Bṛhadratha (Jarāsandha)
Compound. Jarāsandha's father Bṛhadratha had two wives and one child split in two halves; the demoness Jarā joined the halves and gave the child his name. This back-story is what Kṛṣṇa exploits in verse 40.
Going at the time meant for receiving guests to his house, they begged from Jarasandha.
They wore the dress of brāhmaṇas who had finished their studies. tapsvināṁ brāhmaṇānāṁ snātakānāṁ paricchadān ācchādya suhṛdāṁ vākyair manojñair abhinanditāḥ Disguising themselves with clothing of austere brāhmaṇas who had finished their studies, they were blessed by friends with kind words. This means they did not go on chariots. Instead of trayaḥ sometimes tataḥ (after that) is seen. To kill Jarāsandha, it was necessary that Bhīma go. The Lord explains the reason Arjuna went: mayi nītir balaṁ bhīme rakṣitā cāvayorjunaḥ sādhayiṣyāma taṁ rājan vayaṁ traya ivāgnayaḥ I will give political counsel, Bhīma has strength and Arjuna is our protector. We three, like fire, will accomplish the task, O king. However this was only a pretext. He took Arjuna because of friendship. Girivraja was Jarāsandha’s city. Śukadeva called to Parīkṣit with extreme joy at the disguise of the three in brāhmaṇas’ clothing. Jarāsandha was the son of Bṛhadratha. This indicates his great courage, since his dynasty was famous.
They wore the dress of brāhmaṇas who had finished their studies. tapsvināṁ brāhmaṇānāṁ snātakānāṁ paricchadān ācchādya suhṛdāṁ vākyair manojñair abhinanditāḥ Disguising themselves with clothing of austere brāhmaṇas who had finished their studies, they were blessed by friends with kind words. This means they did not go on chariots. Instead of trayaḥ sometimes tataḥ (after that) is seen. To kill Jarāsandha, it was necessary that Bhīma go. The Lord explains the reason Arjuna went: mayi nītir balaṁ bhīme rakṣitā cāvayorjunaḥ sādhayiṣyāma taṁ rājan vayaṁ traya ivāgnayaḥ I will give political counsel, Bhīma has strength and Arjuna is our protector. We three, like fire, will accomplish the task, O king. However, this was only a pretext. He took Arjuna because of friendship. Girivraja was Jarāsandha’s city. Śukadeva called to Parīkṣit with extreme joy at the disguise of the three in brāhmaṇas’ clothing. Jarāsandha was the son of Bṛhadratha. This indicates his great courage, since his dynasty was famous.
- Where am I doing service feeling alone, forgetting that Kṛṣṇa is in the field with me?
- How does His company change the weight of the task?
A lion, a tiger and a bear may walk into a temple courtyard wearing saffron — but the king inside the temple is the lion. Kṛṣṇa wears brahma-liṅga not from imposture but from līlā; the disguise is the means by which His enemy's hospitality becomes the doorway to his death.
Lord Viṣṇu as Vāmana also entered an enemy court — Bali's — in brāhmaṇa guise. The Bhāgavatam echoes the parallel deliberately in verses 24–25 below. The Lord uses brāhmaṇa-disguise both to humble a generous demon (Bali) and to undo a generous tyrant (Jarāsandha). The disguise is not deception in a moral sense; it is the Lord's way of letting a flawed king meet his end while still discharging dharma toward brāhmaṇas.
My note
Source: vedabase.io