FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.72.18

राजन् विद्ध्यतिथीन् प्राप्तानर्थिनो दूरमागतान् । तन्न: प्रयच्छ भद्रं ते यद्वयं कामयामहे ॥ १८ ॥
rājan viddhy atithīn prāptān
[raajan viddhy atitheen praaptaan]
arthino dūram āgatān
[arthino dooram aagataan]
tan naḥ prayaccha bhadraṁ te
[tan nah prayachcha bhadram te]
yad vayaṁ kāmayāmahe
[yad vayam kaamayaamahe]
rājan — O King viddhi — please know atithīn — guests prāptān — arrived arthinaḥ — desirous of gain dūram — from far away āgatān — come tat — that naḥ — to us prayaccha — please grant bhadram — all good te — unto you yat — whatever vayam — we kāmayāmahe — are desiring .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
rājan viddhy atithīn prāptān
rājan
O King
viddhi
please know
atithīn
guests
prāptān
arrived
arthino dūram āgatān
arthinaḥ
desirous of gain
dūram
from far away
āgatān
come
tan naḥ prayaccha bhadraṁ te
tat
that
naḥ
to us
prayaccha
please grant
bhadram
all good
te
unto you
yad vayaṁ kāmayāmahe
yat
whatever
vayam
we
kāmayāmahe
are desiring .
  • atithīn — guests
    Accusative plural. The triad insist on the atithi status to bind Jarāsandha's hand. Atithi-dharma is unbreakable for a brahmaṇya king.
  • arthinaḥ — desirous of gain
    Nominative plural. They identify as petitioners — which obliges the king to ask what is wanted. The trap is set with this single word.
  • prayaccha — please grant
    Imperative. The petition is open-ended; the king has not yet asked what is wanted. The verse's tension lies entirely in that gap.
  • kāmayāmahe — we are desiring
    Present middle plural — 'we for ourselves desire'. The verb form is mild, almost shy; the desire it cloaks is dvanda-yuddha to the death.
[Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna and Bhīma said:] O King, know us to be needy guests who have come to you from afar. We wish all good unto you. Please grant us whatever we desire.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
[Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna and Bhīma said:] O King, know us to be needy guests who have come to you from afar. We wish all good unto you. Please grant us whatever we desire.
Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Know that we are guest, and moreover we are begging, and have come from afar. They did not say they were brāhmaṇas because they did not want to lie. It is proper that you give to us, since you are a king. A king must give what a brāhmaṇa asks. May you have all good fortune! They encourage him by giving blessings like brāhmaṇas. Actually this blessing indicates he would get liberation. Give what we desire. That will bring you good fortune. Or, give us because we desire something from you so that we can have good fortune.

Related values
Sthitaprajna (Steady Wisdom)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Discriminative WisdomAbhaya (Fearlessness)Seva (Service / Selfless Action)Saurya (Heroism / Bravery)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)
Related verses
'O King, know us to be needy guests come from afar. Please grant us whatever we desire.' Honest framing of one's need is a beginning; we do not have to disguise our asking.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I dress up my needs in such complicated language that they cannot be heard?
  • What would simple, direct asking sound like?

Three visitors at a door, asking only that whatever they wish be granted — this is the Vedic version of a sealed envelope. Once Jarāsandha said 'come in,' he had to sign whatever was inside. Kṛṣṇa speaks the most innocent words in the chapter; the words contain a death.

📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 72