Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.1
श्रीराजोवाच
निशम्य देव: स्वभटोपवर्णितं
प्रत्याह किं तानपि धर्मराज: ।
एवं हताज्ञो विहतान्मुरारे-
र्नैदेशिकैर्यस्य वशे जनोऽयम् ॥ १ ॥
śrī-rājovāca
[shree-raajovaacha]
niśamya devaḥ sva-bhaṭopavarṇitaṁ
[nishamya devah sva-bhatopavarnitam]
pratyāha kiṁ tān api dharmarājaḥ
[pratyaaha kim taan api dharmaraajah]
evaṁ hatājño vihatān murārer
[evam hataajno vihataan muraarer]
naideśikair yasya vaśe jano ’yam
[naideshikair yasya vashe jano ’yam]
Word-for-word
śrī-rājā uvāca
—
the King said
niśamya
—
after hearing
devaḥ
—
Lord Yamarāja
sva-bhaṭa
—
of his own servants
upavarṇitam
—
the statements
pratyāha
—
replied
kim
—
what
tān
—
unto them
api
—
also
dharma-rājaḥ
—
Yamarāja, the superintendent of death and the judge of religious and irreligious activities
evam
—
thus
hata-ājñaḥ
—
whose order was foiled
vihatān
—
who were defeated
murāreḥ naideśikaiḥ
—
by the order carriers of Murāri, Kṛṣṇa
yasya
—
of whom
vaśe
—
under the subjugation
janaḥ ayam
—
all the people of the world.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-rājovāca
śrī-rājā uvāca
the King said
niśamya devaḥ sva-bhaṭopavarṇitaṁ
niśamya
after hearing
devaḥ
Lord Yamarāja
sva-bhaṭa
of his own servants
upavarṇitam
the statements
pratyāha kiṁ tān api dharmarājaḥ
pratyāha
replied
kim
what
tān
unto them
api
also
dharma-rājaḥ
Yamarāja, the superintendent of death and the judge of religious and irreligious activities
evaṁ hatājño vihatān murārer
evam
thus
hata-ājñaḥ
whose order was foiled
vihatān
who were defeated
murāreḥ naideśikaiḥ
by the order carriers of Murāri, Kṛṣṇa
naideśikair yasya vaśe jano ’yam
yasya
of whom
vaśe
under the subjugation
janaḥ ayam
all the people of the world.
King Parīkṣit said: O my lord, O Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Yamarāja is the controller of all living entities in terms of their religious and irreligious activities, but his order had been foiled. When his servants, the Yamadūtas, informed him of their defeat by the Viṣṇudūtas, who had stopped them from arresting Ajāmila, what did he reply?
Purport
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that although the statements of the Yamadūtas were fully upheld by Vedic principles, the statements of the Viṣṇudūtas were triumphant. This was confirmed by Yamarāja himself.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
The King said: Hearing the statements of his servants who were obstructed by the order bearers of Viṣṇu, who controls the world, what did Yamarāja, whose orders were thwarted, say to his servants?
In the Third Chapter, the servants of Yama relate to Yama how the servants of Viṣṇu disrespected him, and Yama teaches them the astonishing power of bhakti. Though Yama was disrespected by the servants of Viṣṇu and his own servants, he did not become angry but rather repented that he had not taught his servants about Viṣṇu. The Third Chapter confirms the statements of the servants of Viṣṇu through the mouth of Yamarāja. It was mentioned in the last chapter that the servants of Yama told their master what had happened. (SB 6.2.21) Yamarāja asked and they replied. Parīkṣit then asks about this. The servants of Yama were obstructed by the order bearers of Viṣṇu. Thus Yama’s order was thwarted.
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Personal Guidance
Parīkṣit asks how Yamarāja's order — the supposedly inviolable law of karma — could be overruled. The student's astonishment is itself a doorway: when expected laws bend before the holy name, deeper laws are being revealed.
Reflection Questions
- Where in my life have I assumed a rule was absolute when in fact mercy can override it?
- Am I willing to be astonished, or do I keep filing surprises away as 'exceptions'?
My note
Source: vedabase.io