FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.77.9

वीक्ष्य तत् कदनं स्वानां निरूप्य पुररक्षणम् । सौभं च शाल्वराजं च दारुकं प्राह केशव: ॥ ९ ॥
vīkṣya tat kadanaṁ svānāṁ
[veekshya tat kadanam svaanaam]
nirūpya pura-rakṣaṇam
[niroopya pura-rakshanam]
saubhaṁ ca śālva-rājaṁ ca
[saubham cha shaalva-raajam cha]
dārukaṁ prāha keśavaḥ
[daarukam praaha keshavah]
Word-for-word
vīkṣya — seeing tat — that kadanam — destruction svānām — of His own men nirūpya — arranging pura — of the city rakṣaṇam — for protection saubham — the vehicle Saubha ca — and śālva - rājam — the King of the Śālva province ca — and dārukam — to Dāruka, His chariot driver prāha — spoke keśavaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vīkṣya tat kadanaṁ svānāṁ
vīkṣya
seeing
tat
that
kadanam
destruction
svānām
of His own men
nirūpya pura-rakṣaṇam
nirūpya
arranging
pura
of the city
rakṣaṇam
for protection
saubhaṁ ca śālva-rājaṁ ca
saubham
the vehicle Saubha
ca
and
śālva - rājam
the King of the Śālva province
ca
and
dārukaṁ prāha keśavaḥ
dārukam
to Dāruka, His chariot driver
prāha
spoke
keśavaḥ
Lord Kṛṣṇa .
Important Words
  • kadanam — destruction
    Slaughter, devastation. The word is unsoftened — Dvārakā is being torn up. Bhāgavatam realism: the Lord's city, the Lord's people, are not immune to attack while He plays out the human role of king who must arrive.
  • nirūpya — having arranged
    Gerund of ni + √rūp — to determine, set in order. Kṛṣṇa first sets His defenses, then speaks to His driver. Devotional action is sequenced: śaraṇa first for those one is responsible for, then engagement with the enemy.
  • keśavaḥ — Keśava
    He of fine hair — also, as the ācāryas gloss, the slayer of Keśī. The name of Bhagavān as destroyer of demons; precisely the aspect of Kṛṣṇa that now steps forward as Śālva's slayer.
  • dārukam — to Dāruka
    Kṛṣṇa's eternal charioteer in Dvārakā-līlā. Like Arjuna's sārathi-Kṛṣṇa, Dāruka models the inverse — the devotee who is so trusted by Bhagavān that he drives Bhagavān Himself into battle.
[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] After He arrived at Dvārakā and saw how His people were threatened with destruction, and also saw Śālva and his Saubha airship, Lord Keśava arranged for the city’s defense and then addressed Dāruka as follows.
Purport

Lord Kṛṣṇa placed Śrī Balarāma in a strategic position to guard the city, and He also appointed a special guard for Śrī Rukmiṇī and the other queens inside the palaces. According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, by a secret route special soldiers conveyed the queens to safety inside Dvārakā.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] After He arrived at Dvārakā and saw how His people were threatened with destruction, and also saw Śālva and his Saubha airship, Lord Keśava arranged for the city's defense and then addressed Dāruka as follows.
Commentary

Thinking in this way, he arrived at Dvaraka. He saw the affliction caused to his people by Salva as well as Salva and his aircraft. Considering to protect Rukmini and the other queens in the inner chambers of the city, he spoke to Daruka, with the idea that generals should put them in the center of the city by a secret path.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Seeing the bad omens (kadaman) he returned.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Kṛṣṇa spoke to Dāruka with affection, or with logic (pra āha) because he was the supreme Lord and Dāruka’s master (keśavaḥ).

Related values & verses
Related values
Mardava (Gentleness)Tejas (Inner Radiance / Vigour)Discriminative WisdomAsteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Titiksha (Forbearance / Endurance)Seva (Service / Selfless Action)Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Dhairya (Composure / Courage)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)
Related verses
BG 17.20 BG 17.4 BG 7.1 BG 13.8 BG 16.3 BG 18.1 BG 8.2
Concepts
Jiva
Personal Guidance
Arriving in Dvārakā, Kṛṣṇa arranged for the city's defense — Balarāma stationed strategically, queens secured by secret route. Crisis response begins with protection of the vulnerable.
Reflection Questions
  • Whom in my care needs strategic protection right now?
  • What 'secret route' to safety can I arrange before chaos arrives?
Analogy

He arrives, sees His people being slaughtered, sees Śālva and the Saubha overhead, organizes the city's defense first — and only then addresses Dāruka. Even when one's heart is on fire to engage the enemy, the protector first secures the householders behind him before charging the front line.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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