FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.2.8

बाणाविमौ भगवत: शतपत्रपत्रौशान्तावपुङ्खरुचिरावतितिग्मदन्तौ कस्मै युयुङ्‌क्षसि वने विचरन्न विद्म:क्षेमाय नो जडधियां तव विक्रमोऽस्तु ॥ ८ ॥
bāṇāv imau bhagavataḥ śata-patra-patrau
[baanaav imau bhagavatah shata-patra-patrau]
śāntāv apuṅkha-rucirāv ati-tigma-dantau
[shaantaav apunkha-ruchiraav ati-tigma-dantau]
kasmai yuyuṅkṣasi vane vicaran na vidmaḥ
[kasmai yuyunkshasi vane vicharan na vidmah]
kṣemāya no jaḍa-dhiyāṁ tava vikramo ’stu
[kshemaaya no jada-dhiyaam tava vikramo ’stu]
Word-for-word
bāṇau — two arrows imau — these bhagavataḥ — of you, the most powerful śata-patra-patrau — having feathers like the petals of a lotus flower śāntau — peaceful apuṅkha — without a shaft rucirau — very beautiful ati-tigma-dantau — having a very sharp point kasmai — whom yuyuṅkṣasi — you want to pierce vane — in the forest vicaran — loitering na vidmaḥ — we cannot understand kṣemāya — for welfare naḥ — of us jaḍa-dhiyām — who are dull-headed tava — your vikramaḥ — prowess astu — may be.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
bāṇāv imau bhagavataḥ śata-patra-patrau
bāṇau
two arrows
imau
these
bhagavataḥ
of you, the most powerful
śata-patra-patrau
having feathers like the petals of a lotus flower
śāntāv apuṅkha-rucirāv ati-tigma-dantau
śāntau
peaceful
apuṅkha
without a shaft
rucirau
very beautiful
ati-tigma-dantau
having a very sharp point
kasmai yuyuṅkṣasi vane vicaran na vidmaḥ
kasmai
whom
yuyuṅkṣasi
you want to pierce
vane
in the forest
vicaran
loitering
na vidmaḥ
we cannot understand
kṣemāya no jaḍa-dhiyāṁ tava vikramo ’stu
kṣemāya
for welfare
naḥ
of us
jaḍa-dhiyām
who are dull-headed
tava
your
vikramaḥ
prowess
astu
may be.
Then Āgnīdhra observed the glancing eyes of Pūrvacitti and said: My dear friend, you have two very powerful arrows, namely your glancing eyes. Those arrows have feathers like the petals of a lotus flower. Although they have no shafts, they are very beautiful, and they have very sharp, piercing points. They appear very peaceful, and thus it seems that they will not be shot at anyone. You must be loitering in this forest to shoot those arrows at someone, but I cannot understand whom. My intelligence is dull, and I cannot combat you. Indeed, no one can equal you in prowess, and therefore I pray that your prowess will be for my good fortune.
Purport

Āgnīdhra thus began appreciating Pūrvacitti’s powerful glance upon him. He compared her glancing eyes to very sharp arrows. Although her eyes were as beautiful as lotuses, they were simultaneously like shaftless arrows, and Āgnīdhra was therefore afraid of them. He hoped that her glances upon him would be favorable because he was already captivated and the more captivated he became the more impossible it would be for him to remain without her. Āgnīdhra therefore prayed to Pūrvacitti that her glances at him would be auspicious, not futile. In other words, he prayed that she would become his wife.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
You have two languid arrows with lotus-petal feathers, with no shafts and very sharp arrow heads. I do not know whom you will shoot in this forest. May your prowess be auspicious for me, who have no intelligence! On seeing her glance he speaks. You have two arrows with lotus-petal feathers, languid because of coquetry, without shafts and with very beautiful sharp arrowheads. May your prowess be auspicious for me. This means that if you shoot me, I will not live because of the pain of the arrows piercing me.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
A single charged glance can shoot deeper than any literal weapon. The eyes are powerful instruments of bondage and freedom alike, and most people use them with no awareness of their force.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do your eyes habitually go when your discipline lapses, and what is that costing you?
  • What would it mean to use your eyes today as instruments of seeing the Lord rather than collecting objects?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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