Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.74.54
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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kīrtayet
—
should chant, recites
Optative of √kīrt. Kīrtana — the Bhāgavata's flagship aṅga of bhakti. Mahāprabhu's verse Śikṣāṣṭaka opens with kīrtana as the cit-śakti's vibration. The very last verb the chapter offers is the verb of bhakti.
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viṣṇoḥ karma
—
the activities of Lord Viṣṇu
Genitive + nominative: Viṣṇu's karma. Gauḍīyas: Bhagavān's acts are 'karma' only in a homonymous sense — they bind no one, neither Him nor the chanter. Hearing them is the inverse of accumulating karma.
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caidya - vadha
—
the killing of Śiśupāla
Compound: caidya + vadha (killing). The chapter's signature event named in its phala-śruti. Gauḍīyas: even the destructive act of Bhagavān is karma-naśanam when chanted — the cakra and the kīrtana do the same work in different registers.
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vitānam
—
the sacrifice
From vi + √tan (to extend). 'The spread' — synonym for yajña. The chapter ends on the verb the chapter began with: the sacrifice that was the frame is also part of the kīrtana now.
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sarva - pāpaiḥ pramucyate
—
is freed from all sins
Compound + verb: sarva (all) + pāpa (sin) + pramucyate (is fully released). The phala-śruti. Gauḍīyas treat the verse as a license for unrestricted kīrtana of this chapter; the chapter's own dakṣiṇā to its hearer.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Seventy-fourth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Deliverance of Śiśupāla at the Rājasūya Sacrifice.”
He who glorifies the activities of Visnu, the killing of Sisupala, the release of the kings and the sacrifice (vitanam) will be freed of all sins.
Duryodhana and others grieved in spite of seeing Kṛṣṇa directly because they did not have devotion. All others however become happy since they had bhakti. That is expressed in this verse. Qualification is not necessary. One who recites the killing Śiśupāla by Kṛṣṇa, who spreads through the universe (viṣṇoḥ) by revealing his special glories, is freed of all obstacles to bhakti. Adikam means “and the installation of Yudhiṣṭhira.”
Duryodhana and others grieved in spite of seeing Kṛṣṇa directly, because they did not have devotion. All others however become happy since they had bhakti. That is expressed in this verse. Or it is astonishing that Śiśupāla and Jarāsandha attained liberation from Kṛṣṇa directly. From hearing of their killing, one will attain the supreme destination, by the power of the Lrd. That is explained in this verse. Qualification is not necessary. One who recites the killing Śiśupāla by Kṛṣṇa, who spreads through the universe (viṣṇoḥ) by revealing his special glories, is freed of all sins including prārabdha sins, in a remarkable way (pra-mucyate): he attains Vaikuṇṭha, greater that liberation. Adikam means “and the installation of Yudhiṣṭhira.” Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Seventy-fourth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The Deliverance of Śiśupāla at the Rājasūya Sacrifice." 10.75: Duryodhana Humiliated verses: Summary, 1-2, 3, 4-7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25-26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34-35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 Chapter Summary This chapter describes the glorious conclusion of the Rājasūya sacrifice, and how Prince Duryodhana was humiliated in King Yudhiṣṭhira's palace. At the time of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's Rājasūya sacrifice, many of his relatives and well-wishers endeavored to please him by performing necessary services. When the sacrifice was complete, the King adorned the priests, the exalted members of the assembly and his own relatives with fragrant sandalwood paste, flower garlands and fine clothing. Then they all went to the banks of the Ganges to perform the ritual bathing that marks the end of the sponsor's period of initiation for the sacrifice. Before the final bathing, there was much sporting in the river among the male and female participants. Sprinkled with aromatic water and other liquids, Draupadī and the other ladies appeared most beautiful, their faces shining with bashful laughter. After the priests had executed the final rituals, the King and his queen, Śrīmatī Draupadī, bathed in the Ganges. Then all those present who belonged to the orders of varṇāśrama bathed. Yudhiṣṭhira put on new clothes and worshiped the learned brāhmaṇas, his family, friends and well-wishers, each in the particular manner suitable for them, and offered them all various gifts. The guests then departed for their homes. But King Yudhiṣṭhira was so anxious about his imminent separation from those who were dear to him that he compelled several of his relatives and closest friends, including Lord Kṛṣṇa, to remain in Indraprastha a bit longer. King Yudhiṣṭhira's royal palace had been constructed by Maya Dānava, who had endowed it with many wonderful features and opulences. King Duryodhana burned with envy when he saw these riches. One day, Yudhiṣṭhira was seated with Lord Kṛṣṇa in his royal assembly hall. Attended by his subordinates and family members, he was manifesting magnificence equal to that of Lord Indra. At that time Duryodhana entered the hall in a fitful mood. Bewildered by the mystic craft of Maya Dānava, Duryodhana mistook parts of the solid floor for water and thus lifted his garment, while in one place he fell into the water, mistaking it for the solid floor. When Bhīmasena, the ladies of the court and the royal princes present saw this, they began to laugh. Although Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira tried to stop them, Lord Kṛṣṇa encouraged their laughter. Thoroughly embarrassed, Duryodhana left the assembly hall in a fury and immediately departed for Hastināpura.
- What pastime of the Lord could I recount to someone this week?
- How does retelling become its own form of purification?
A river-mouth pilgrim takes one cup of water and is purified — not because the cup is big but because the river is. Whoever chants even the killing-of-Śiśupāla part of these Kṛṣṇa-līlās drinks from the same river — and the river does the rest.
My note
Source: vedabase.io