FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.11.21

अहं समाधाय मनो यथाह न: सङ्कर्षणस्तच्चरणारविन्दे । त्वद्वज्ररंहोलुलितग्राम्यपाशो गतिं मुनेर्याम्यपविद्धलोक: ॥ २१ ॥
ahaṁ samādhāya mano yathāha naḥ
[aham samaadhaaya mano yathaaha nah]
saṅkarṣaṇas tac-caraṇāravinde
[sankarshanas tach-charanaaravinde]
tvad-vajra-raṁho-lulita-grāmya-pāśo
[tvad-vajra-ramho-lulita-graamya-paasho]
gatiṁ muner yāmy apaviddha-lokaḥ
[gatim muner yaamy apaviddha-lokah]
aham — I samādhāya — fixing firmly manaḥ — the mind yathā — just as āha — said naḥ — our saṅkarṣaṇaḥ — Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa tat-caraṇa-aravinde — at His lotus feet tvat-vajra — of your thunderbolt raṁhaḥ — by the force lulita — torn grāmya — of material attachment pāśaḥ — the rope gatim — the destination muneḥ — of Nārada Muni and other devotees yāmi — I shall achieve apaviddha — giving up lokaḥ — this material world (where one desires all kinds of impermanent things).
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ahaṁ samādhāya mano yathāha naḥ
aham
I
samādhāya
fixing firmly
manaḥ
the mind
yathā
just as
āha
said
naḥ
our
saṅkarṣaṇas tac-caraṇāravinde
saṅkarṣaṇaḥ
Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa
tat-caraṇa-aravinde
at His lotus feet
tvad-vajra-raṁho-lulita-grāmya-pāśo
tvat-vajra
of your thunderbolt
raṁhaḥ
by the force
lulita
torn
grāmya
of material attachment
pāśaḥ
the rope
gatiṁ muner yāmy apaviddha-lokaḥ
gatim
the destination
muneḥ
of Nārada Muni and other devotees
yāmi
I shall achieve
apaviddha
giving up
lokaḥ
this material world (where one desires all kinds of impermanent things).
By the force of your thunderbolt, I shall be freed of material bondage and shall give up this body and this world of material desires. Fixing my mind upon the lotus feet of Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, I shall attain the destination of such great sages as Nārada Muni, just as Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa has said.

The words ahaṁ samādhāya manaḥ indicate that the most important duty at the time of death is to concentrate one’s mind. If one can fix his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, Saṅkarṣaṇa or any Viṣṇu mūrti, his life will be successful. To be killed while fixing his mind at the lotus feet of Saṅkarṣaṇa, Vṛtrāsura asked Indra to release his vajra, or thunderbolt. He was destined to be killed by the thunderbolt given by Lord Viṣṇu; there was no question of its being baffled. Therefore Vṛtrāsura requested Indra to release the thunderbolt immediately, and he prepared himself by fixing his mind at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. A devotee is always ready to give up his material body, which is described herein as grāmya-pāśa, the rope of material attachment. The body is not at all good; it is simply a cause of bondage to the material world. Unfortunately, even though the body is destined for destruction, fools and rascals invest all their faith in the body and are never eager to return home, back to Godhead.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Just as Saṅkarṣaṇa has said, fixing my mind at the lotus feet of the Lord, cutting my body, a rope of material attachment, by the force of your thunderbolt, I will give up enjoyment of the three worlds and attain the destination of the sages. “Vṛtrāsura is cheating me. He will make the thunderbolt useless by displaying his powers and again attack me.” Do not think that I will do this. Hear about my determination of mind. Just as my Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa has said, fixing my mind on his lotus feet, I will attain the destination of the yogīs. My body, which is a material noose, should be cut by the force of your thunderbolt. I have renounced the wealth of the three worlds (apaviddha-lokaḥ).
By the thunderbolt I shall be freed of bondage; fixing my mind on Saṅkarṣaṇa's feet I shall attain the destination of great sages. Vṛtra's death-plan is a devotional act.
Reflection Questions
  • If I were given a 'thunderbolt' to receive, could I fix my mind on Kṛṣṇa's feet rather than on the blow?
  • What practice could prepare me to die well?
📝 My note

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