FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.7.29

तत् कर्म दिव्यमिव यन्निशि नि:शयानं दावाग्निना शुचिवने परिदह्यमाने । उन्नेष्यति व्रजमतोऽवसितान्तकालं नेत्रे पिधाप्य सबलोऽनधिगम्यवीर्य: ॥ २९ ॥
tat karma divyam iva yan niśi niḥśayānaṁ
[tat karma divyam iva yan nishi nihshayaanam]
dāvāgninā śuci-vane paridahyamāne
[daavaagninaa shuchi-vane paridahyamaane]
unneṣyati vrajam ato ’vasitānta-kālaṁ
[unneshyati vrajam ato ’vasitaanta-kaalam]
netre pidhāpya sabalo ’nadhigamya-vīryaḥ
[netre pidhaapya sabalo ’nadhigamya-veeryah]
tat — that karma — activity divyam — superhuman iva — like yat — which niśi — at night niḥśayānam — sleeping carefreely dāva-agninā — by the glare of the forest fire śuci-vane — in the dry forest paridahyamāne — being set ablaze unneṣyati — would deliver vrajam — all the inhabitants of Vraja ataḥ — hence avasita — surely anta-kālam — last moments of life netre — on the eyes pidhāpya — simply by closing sa-balaḥ — along with Baladeva anadhigamya — unfathomable vīryaḥ — prowess.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tat karma divyam iva yan niśi niḥśayānaṁ
tat
that
karma
activity
divyam
superhuman
iva
like
yat
which
niśi
at night
niḥśayānam
sleeping carefreely
dāvāgninā śuci-vane paridahyamāne
dāva-agninā
by the glare of the forest fire
śuci-vane
in the dry forest
paridahyamāne
being set ablaze
unneṣyati vrajam ato ’vasitānta-kālaṁ
unneṣyati
would deliver
vrajam
all the inhabitants of Vraja
ataḥ
hence
netre pidhāpya sabalo ’nadhigamya-vīryaḥ
avasita
surely
anta-kālam
last moments of life
netre
on the eyes
pidhāpya
simply by closing
sa-balaḥ
along with Baladeva
anadhigamya
unfathomable
vīryaḥ
prowess.
On the very night of the day of the chastisement of the Kāliya snake, when the inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi were sleeping carefreely, there was a forest fire ablaze due to dry leaves, and it appeared that all the inhabitants were sure to meet their death. But the Lord, along with Balarāma, saved them simply by closing His eyes. Such are the superhuman activities of the Lord.

Although in this verse the Lord’s activity has been described as superhuman, it should be noted that the Lord’s activities are always superhuman, and that distinguishes Him from the ordinary living being. Uprooting a gigantic banyan or arjuna tree and extinguishing a blazing forest fire simply by closing one’s eyes are certainly impossible by any kind of human endeavor. But not only are these activities amazing to hear, but in fact all other activities of the Lord, whatever He may do, are all superhuman, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.9) . Whoever knows the superhuman activities of the Lord, due to their very transcendental nature, becomes eligible to enter the kingdom of Kṛṣṇa, and, as such, after quitting this present material body, the knower of the transcendental activities of the Lord goes back home, back to Godhead.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
When that same night, a fire burns up the forest of reeds dry from the summer heat, he whose strength cannot be understood, along with Balarāma, will rescue the dozing inhabitants of Vraja for whom death is certain, by having them close their eyes.
Commentary

To mention that his activities appear to be transcendental is customary speech. Actually all his activities are spiritual. The Lord says janma karma ca me divyam. (BG 4.9) On the night that Kāliya was killed, when the forest, dry from the summer heat (śuci), is burning due to a forest fire, he will deliver (unneṣyati) the inhabitants who are certain (avasita) to die. The forest was composed of dry reeds. He made them close their eyes.

Related verses
Kṛṣṇa saved Vraja from a roaring forest fire simply by closing His eyes. The way out of overwhelming circumstance is not greater effort but deeper relationship with Him. He acts; we cannot match Him by trying.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I trying harder when I should be turning to Him deeper?
  • What 'forest fire' would close if my interior orientation toward Him simply shifted?
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