FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.9.11

श्रीशुक उवाच इति ते क्ष्वेलितैस्तस्या आश्वस्तमनसोऽसुरा: । जहसुर्भावगम्भीरं ददुश्चामृतभाजनम् ॥ ११ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca
[shree-shuka uvaacha]
iti te kṣvelitais tasyā
[iti te kshvelitais tasyaa]
āśvasta-manaso ’surāḥ
[aashvasta-manaso ’suraah]
jahasur bhāva-gambhīraṁ
[jahasur bhaava-gambheeram]
daduś cāmṛta-bhājanam
[dadush chaamrita-bhaajanam]
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said iti — thus te — those demons kṣvelitaiḥ — by speaking as if jokingly tasyāḥ — of Mohinī-mūrti āśvasta — grateful, with faith manasaḥ — their minds asurāḥ — all the demons jahasuḥ — laughed bhāva-gambhīram — although Mohinī-mūrti was full of gravity daduḥ — delivered ca — also amṛta-bhājanam — the container of nectar.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-śuka uvāca
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
iti te kṣvelitais tasyā
iti
thus
te
those demons
kṣvelitaiḥ
by speaking as if jokingly
tasyāḥ
of Mohinī-mūrti
āśvasta-manaso ’surāḥ
āśvasta
grateful, with faith
manasaḥ
their minds
jahasur bhāva-gambhīraṁ
asurāḥ
all the demons
daduś cāmṛta-bhājanam
jahasuḥ
laughed
bhāva-gambhīram
although Mohinī-mūrti was full of gravity
daduḥ
delivered
ca
also
amṛta-bhājanam
the container of nectar.
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: After the demons heard the words of Mohinī-mūrti, who had spoken as if jokingly, they were all very confident. They laughed with gravity, and ultimately they delivered the container of nectar into Her hands.

The Personality of Godhead in His form of Mohinī was certainly not joking but talking seriously, with gravity. The demons, however, being captivated by Mohinī-mūrti’s bodily features, took Her words as a joke and confidently delivered the container of nectar into Her hands. Thus Mohinī-mūrti resembles Lord Buddha, who appeared sammohāya sura-dviṣām — to cheat the asuras. The word sura-dviṣām refers to those who are envious of the demigods or devotees. Sometimes an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead cheats the atheists. Thus we see here that although Mohinī-mūrti was speaking factually to the asuras, the asuras took Her words to be facetious. Indeed, they were so confident of Mohinī-mūrti’s honesty that they immediately delivered the container of nectar into Her hands, as if they would allow Her to do with the nectar whatever She liked, whether She distributed it, threw it away or drank it Herself without giving it to them.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Their minds comforted by the joking words of Mohinī, the demons laughed in a mysterious manner and delivered the container of nectar to her. They were pacified by her joking (kṣevelitaiḥ). They laughed in such a way that their intentions could not be understood by the unintelligent (bhāva-gambhiram). They thought as follows. “O woman with all qualities! Are you testing us? We are not faithless and impure in heart. Take the pot of nectar. Divide it and give it to us. Or drink it. Or throw it somewhere else. Do as you please. Know that we have become yours, because of your good qualities.”
Taking Her serious words as a joke, the demons laughed and gave Her the nectar. Mohinī resembles Buddha, who appears to bewilder atheists. Even truth, when wrapped in a form we crave, becomes the means of our being cheated.
Reflection Questions
  • What truth from a teacher have I downgraded to 'just joking' because I did not want it?
  • Where am I in a Buddha-incarnation situation — being lovingly deceived for my eventual good?
📝 My note

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