SB 3.18.12 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.18.12

त्वं पद्रथानां किल यूथपाधिपो घटस्व नोऽस्वस्तय आश्वनूह: । संस्थाप्य चास्मान् प्रमृजाश्रुस्वकानां य: स्वां प्रतिज्ञां नातिपिपर्त्यसभ्य: ॥ १२ ॥

tvaṁ pad-rathānāṁ kila yūthapādhipo

[tvam pad-rathaanaam kila yoothapaadhipo]

ghaṭasva no ’svastaya āśv anūhaḥ

[ghatasva no ’svastaya aashv anoohah]

saṁsthāpya cāsmān pramṛjāśru svakānāṁ

[samsthaapya chaasmaan pramrijaashru svakaanaam]

yaḥ svāṁ pratijñāṁ nātipiparty asabhyaḥ

[yah svaam pratijnaam naatipiparty asabhyah]

Word-for-word

tvam — you pad-rathānām — of foot soldiers kila — indeed yūthapa — of the leaders adhipaḥ — the commander ghaṭasva — take steps naḥ — Our asvastaye — for defeat āśu — promptly anūhaḥ — without consideration saṁsthāpya — having killed ca — and asmān — Us pramṛja — wipe away aśru — tears svakānām — of your kith and kin yaḥ — he who svām — his own pratijñām — promised word na — not atipiparti — fulfills asabhyaḥ — not fit to sit in an assembly.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

tvaṁ pad-rathānāṁ kila yūthapādhipo

tvam

you

pad-rathānām

of foot soldiers

kila

indeed

yūthapa

of the leaders

adhipaḥ

the commander

ghaṭasva no ’svastaya āśv anūhaḥ

ghaṭasva

take steps

saṁsthāpya cāsmān pramṛjāśru svakānāṁ

naḥ

Our

yaḥ svāṁ pratijñāṁ nātipiparty asabhyaḥ

asvastaye

for defeat

āśu

promptly

anūhaḥ

without consideration

saṁsthāpya

having killed

and

asmān

pramṛja

wipe away

aśru

tears

svakānām

of your kith and kin

yaḥ

he who

svām

his own

pratijñām

promised word

not

atipiparti

fulfills

asabhyaḥ

not fit to sit in an assembly.

You are supposed to be the commander of many foot soldiers, and now you may take prompt steps to overthrow Us. Give up all your foolish talk and wipe out the cares of your kith and kin by slaying Us. One may be proud, yet he does not deserve a seat in an assembly if he fails to fulfill his promised word.

Purport

A demon may be a great soldier and commander of a large number of infantry, but in the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead he is powerless and is destined to die. The Lord, therefore, challenged the demon not to go away but to fulfill his promised word to kill Him.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

As the commander of leaders of soldiers, you should act in order to quickly bring about my defeat without considering the matter further. After killing me, wipe away the tears of your relatives. One who does not fulfill his promise is unfit to sit in the assembly. You, the commander of leaders of the foot soldiers, should immediately act to bring about my defeat (asvastaye), without thinking twice (anūhaḥ). He who does not fulfill his promise is not fit to sit in the assembly. There is another meaning. Filled with prema, you have accepted the mood of a demon as a promise to give me happiness by fighting with me. He who does not keep that promise is unfit to sit in the assembly. Therefore, as commander of the troops, act now to make me happy by fighting, in order to give up your life (asvastaye), after having fixed me in your heart. Wipe away your tears of bliss.

Personal Guidance

The verse insists on the Lord's specific identity — not an idea of God but a person with name, form, and intent. Vague spirituality cannot reach what only personal address can. The verse anchors this in Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Reflection Questions

Whom do you actually address when you pray — a concept, or a person?
What would change if you treated one possession this week as belonging to the Lord and on loan to you?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io