Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.24.14
तमाह सातिकरुणं महाकारुणिकं नृपम् ।
यादोभ्यो ज्ञातिघातिभ्यो दीनां मां दीनवत्सल ।
कथं विसृजसे राजन् भीतामस्मिन् सरिज्जले ॥ १४ ॥
tam āha sātikaruṇaṁ
[tam aaha saatikarunam]
mahā-kāruṇikaṁ nṛpam
[mahaa-kaarunikam nripam]
yādobhyo jñāti-ghātibhyo
[yaadobhyo jnaati-ghaatibhyo]
dīnāṁ māṁ dīna-vatsala
[deenaam maam deena-vatsala]
kathaṁ visṛjase rājan
[katham visrijase raajan]
bhītām asmin sarij-jale
[bheetaam asmin sarij-jale]
Word-for-word
tam
—
unto him (Satyavrata)
āha
—
said
sā
—
that small fish
ati-karuṇam
—
extremely compassionate
mahā-kāruṇikam
—
extremely merciful
nṛpam
—
unto King Satyavrata
yādobhyaḥ
—
to the aquatics
jñāti-ghātibhyaḥ
—
who are always eager to kill the smaller fish
dīnām
—
very poor
mām
—
me
dīna-vatsala
—
O protector of the poor
katham
—
why
visṛjase
—
you are throwing
rājan
—
O King
bhītām
—
very much afraid
asmin
—
within this
sarit-jale
—
in the water of the river.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tam āha sātikaruṇaṁ
tam
unto him (Satyavrata)
āha
said
sā
that small fish
ati-karuṇam
extremely compassionate
mahā-kāruṇikaṁ nṛpam
mahā-kāruṇikam
extremely merciful
nṛpam
unto King Satyavrata
yādobhyo jñāti-ghātibhyo
yādobhyaḥ
to the aquatics
jñāti-ghātibhyaḥ
who are always eager to kill the smaller fish
dīnāṁ māṁ dīna-vatsala
dīnām
very poor
mām
me
dīna-vatsala
O protector of the poor
kathaṁ visṛjase rājan
katham
why
visṛjase
you are throwing
rājan
O King
bhītām asmin sarij-jale
bhītām
very much afraid
asmin
within this
sarit-jale
in the water of the river.
With an appealing voice, the poor small fish said to King Satyavrata, who was very merciful: My dear King, protector of the poor, why are you throwing Me in the water of the river, where there are other aquatics who can kill Me? I am very much afraid of them.
Purport
In the Matsya Purāṇa it is said:
ananta-śaktir bhagavān matsya-rūpī janārdanaḥ krīḍārthaṁ yācayām āsa svayaṁ satyavrataṁ nṛpam
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead possesses unlimited potency. Nonetheless, in His pastime in the form of a fish He begged protection from King Satyavrata.”
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
With an appealing voice, the poor small fish said to merciful King Satyavrata: O King! Protector of the poor! Why are you throwing me in the water of the river, where I fear other aquatics which can kill me?
Personal Guidance
The fish cried: protector of the poor, why throw Me where I will be killed? I am afraid. Even the Lord plays the role of helpless beggar. Vulnerability in His form invites our protection.
Reflection Questions
- Whose vulnerable plea have I dismissed because I assumed they could handle the larger 'river'?
- Where does the Lord come to me as something afraid, asking my protection?
My note
Source: vedabase.io