FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.72.29

असौ वृकोदर: पार्थस्तस्य भ्रातार्जुनो ह्ययम् । अनयोर्मातुलेयं मां कृष्णं जानीहि ते रिपुम् ॥ २९ ॥
asau vṛkodaraḥ pārthas
[asau vrikodarah paarthas]
tasya bhrātārjuno hy ayam
[tasya bhraataarjuno hy ayam]
anayor mātuleyaṁ māṁ
[anayor maatuleyam maam]
kṛṣṇaṁ jānīhi te ripum
[krishnam jaaneehi te ripum]
asau — that one vṛkodaraḥ — Bhīma pārthaḥ — the son of Pṛthā tasya — his bhrātā — brother arjunaḥ — Arjuna hi — indeed ayam — this other anayoḥ — of the two of them mātuleyam — the maternal cousin mām — Me kṛṣṇam — Kṛṣṇa jānīhi — please know te — your ripum — enemy .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
asau vṛkodaraḥ pārthas
asau
that one
vṛkodaraḥ
Bhīma
pārthaḥ
the son of Pṛthā
tasya bhrātārjuno hy ayam
tasya
his
bhrātā
brother
arjunaḥ
Arjuna
anayor mātuleyaṁ māṁ
kṛṣṇaṁ jānīhi te ripum
hi
indeed
ayam
this other
anayoḥ
of the two of them
mātuleyam
the maternal cousin
mām
Me
kṛṣṇam
Kṛṣṇa
jānīhi
please know
te
your
ripum
enemy .
  • vṛkodaraḥ — Bhīma
    Nominative. Kṛṣṇa points to Bhīma first — he is the actual fighter. The introduction order matters: combatant first, second second, then Himself as orchestrator.
  • pārthaḥ — the son of Pṛthā
    Nominative. Both Bhīma and Arjuna are 'Pārthas'. Their mother Pṛthā is Kṛṣṇa's paternal aunt — making them Kṛṣṇa's maternal cousins, which the next phrase makes explicit.
  • mātuleyam — the maternal cousin
    Accusative. Mātula — maternal uncle; mātuleya — his son. Kṛṣṇa locates Himself in the family tree precisely; the kinship is real and binds Him to take part in the Pāṇḍava cause.
  • ripum — enemy
    Accusative. Kṛṣṇa names Himself as Jarāsandha's enemy openly. Note the Gauḍīya reading: even when Bhagavān is named enemy, He grants the rare gift of dying by His arrangement — śatru-bhakti through hatred ends in liberation.
Over there is Bhīma, son of Pṛthā, and this is his brother Arjuna. Know Me to be their maternal cousin, Kṛṣṇa, your enemy.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Over there is Bhīma, son of Pṛthā, and this is his brother Arjuna. Know Me to be their maternal cousin, Kṛṣṇa, your enemy.
Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Have no doubt (hi). There is Bhīma and this is Arjuna. Know me to be Kṛṣṇa, who takes away (karṣaṇa) the life of people like you since I am your enemy (te ripum). To kill you I have brought these two.

Concepts
Jiva
'This is Bhīma, this is Arjuna, and I am Kṛṣṇa your enemy.' Once the disguise has served its purpose, identity is revealed cleanly. There is no shame in having approached in plain dress.
Reflection Questions
  • Where can I drop a disguise now that has served its purpose?
  • Is there a truth about who I am that's now ready to be plainly stated?

An archer who has fooled a king into committing the bow's draw now identifies himself: 'I am the brother of the wind and son of the sun's cousin, and I am Kṛṣṇa, your enemy.' The mask falls; the bowstring is already taut.

📝 My note

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