FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.17.27

त्वां स्तब्धां दुर्मदां नीत्वा मायागां तिलश: शरै: । आत्मयोगबलेनेमा धारयिष्याम्यहं प्रजा: ॥ २७ ॥
tvāṁ stabdhāṁ durmadāṁ nītvā
[tvaam stabdhaam durmadaam neetvaa]
māyā-gāṁ tilaśaḥ śaraiḥ
[maayaa-gaam tilashah sharaih]
ātma-yoga-balenemā
[aatma-yoga-balenemaa]
dhārayiṣyāmy ahaṁ prajāḥ
[dhaarayishyaamy aham prajaah]
tvām — you stabdhām — very much puffed up durmadām — mad nītvā — bringing into such a condition māyā-gām — false cow tilaśaḥ — into small particles like grains śaraiḥ — by my arrows ātma — personal yoga-balena — by mystic power imāḥ — all these dhārayiṣyāmi — shall uphold aham — I prajāḥ — all the citizens, or all the living entities.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tvāṁ stabdhāṁ durmadāṁ nītvā
tvām
you
stabdhām
very much puffed up
durmadām
mad
nītvā
bringing into such a condition
māyā-gāṁ tilaśaḥ śaraiḥ
māyā-gām
false cow
tilaśaḥ
into small particles like grains
śaraiḥ
by my arrows
ātma-yoga-balenemā
ātma
personal
yoga-balena
by mystic power
imāḥ
all these
dhārayiṣyāmy ahaṁ prajāḥ
dhārayiṣyāmi
shall uphold
aham
I
prajāḥ
all the citizens, or all the living entities.
You are very much puffed up with pride and have become almost insane. Presently you have assumed the form of a cow by your mystic powers. Nonetheless I shall cut you into small pieces like grain, and I will uphold the entire population by my personal mystic powers.

The earth informed King Pṛthu that if he destroyed her, he and his subjects would all fall down into the waters of the garbha ocean. King Pṛthu now replies to that point. Although the earth assumed the shape of a cow by her mystic powers in order to be saved from being killed by the King, the King was aware of this fact and would not hesitate to cut her to pieces, just like small bits of grain. As far as the destruction of the citizens is concerned, Mahārāja Pṛthu maintained that he could uphold everyone by his own mystic powers. He did not need the help of the earthly planet. Being the incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu, Pṛthu Mahārāja possessed the power of Saṅkarṣaṇa, which is explained by the scientists as the power of gravitation. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is holding millions of planets in space without any support; similarly, Pṛthu Mahārāja would not have had any difficulty supporting all his citizens and himself in space without the help of the planet earth. The Lord is known as Yogeśvara, master of all mystic powers. Consequently the planet earth was informed by the King that she need not worry about his standing without her help.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Pulverizing this false, proud, infatuated cow by my arrows, I will support the citizens by my mystic power. “How can you kill a cow? How can you feed them cow meat?” You are not a real cow. You are fake cow (māyā-gām). You have said “How will you hold them up in the water?” Tilaśaḥ means “making you into fine particles the size of sesame seeds.”
Your cow-mysticism doesn't save you; I'll cut you small and uphold the population by my own mystic powers. The protector has resources independent of the one he's punishing; the threat is not a bluff.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I assume a structure is irreplaceable when the protector actually has alternatives?
  • What 'mystic power' of my own have I forgotten I have, that would let me replace what's failing?
📝 My note

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