Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.89.35
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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prasūti-kāle
—
at the time of birth
Compound: prasūti (delivery) + kāla (time). The exact narrow window in which the previous infants died. Arjuna must enclose this kṣaṇa with his arrows; the Bhāgavatam will show the kṣaṇa itself belongs to Mahā-Viṣṇu.
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pāhi-pāhi
—
protect, protect!
Imperative of √pā (to protect), doubled for urgency. The cry that the Bhāgavatam puts in every dīna mouth — Gajendra's cry, Draupadī's cry, this brāhmaṇa's cry. Gauḍīyas note: the verb is properly addressed to Kṛṣṇa; here it is addressed to Arjuna by mistake.
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mṛtyoḥ
—
from death
Ablative of mṛtyu. The opposing power. Arjuna boasted he would conquer mṛtyu (v. 33); now the test is whether his arrows can hold the line.
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āturaḥ
—
afflicted, distressed
From ā + √tur (to be afflicted). The standard Bhāgavata-word for one in āpat. The four classes of devotees in BG 7.16 begin with āṛta — the afflicted; this brāhmaṇa is exactly that.
Arjuna resided for one year in Dvaraka waiting for the birth, or else learning of the approaching birth, came there again. When the wife said, "Bring Arjuna," the brahmana came in the night and spoke this verse to Arjuna.
It should be understood that Arjuna remained in Dvārakā for one year until it was time for the child to be born. The brāhmaṇa was afflicted with fear and spoke at night to Arjuna, who was close by. Arjuna had come to the house previously and was staying there. In Hari-vaṁśa Arjuna says: gate 'rdha-rātra-samaye brāhmaṇo bhaya-viklavaḥ / upāgamya bhayād asmān idaṁ vacanam abravīt // muhūrtena vayaṁ grāmaṁ taṁ prāpya bharatarṣabha viśvānta-vāhanāḥ sarve nivāsāyopasaṁsthitāḥ After midnight the brāhmaṇa came to me in great fear and spoke with fear. I came to the village in a second with tired horses in order to stay there.
It should be understood that Arjuna remained in Dvārakā for one year until it was time for the tenth child to be born, after the ninth one died. The brāhmaṇa was topmost in good conduct like a sage among brāhmaṇas (dvija-sattamaḥ). Please protect the child from death. He repeats his statement out of confusion in great fear. He was pained or helpless (āturaḥ). He went to Arjuna and spoke. In Hari-vaṁśa Arjuna says: muhūrtena vayaṁ grāmaṁ taṁ prāpya bharatarṣabha viśvānta-vāhanāḥ sarve nivāsāyopasaṁsthitāḥ After midnight the brāhmaṇa came to me in great fear and spoke with fear. I came to the village in a second with tired horses in order to stay there.
- What old commitment of mine is about to come due that I should remember?
- Where am I anxious about delivering on something I once promised easily?
Labor begins; the father runs to Arjuna in panic — 'Save my child from death!' Arjuna's pratijñā is now operational. The Bhāgavatam loves these moments where the test is delivered into the hands of the one who agreed to it; what will count is not the vow but the resource behind it.
My note
Source: vedabase.io