Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.11.42
తం వత్సరూపిణం వీక్ష్య వత్సయూథగతం హరి: ।
దర్శయన్ బలదేవాయ శనైర్ముగ్ధ ఇవాసదత్ ॥ ౪౨ ॥
taṁ vatsa-rūpiṇaṁ vīkṣya
[tam vatsa-roopinam veekshya]
vatsa-yūtha-gataṁ hariḥ
[vatsa-yootha-gatam harih]
darśayan baladevāya
[darshayan baladevaaya]
śanair mugdha ivāsadat
[shanair mugdha ivaasadat]
Word-for-word
tam
—
unto the demon
vatsa - rūpiṇam
—
assuming the form of a calf
vīkṣya
—
seeing
vatsa - yūtha - gatam
—
when the demon entered the group of all the other calves
hariḥ
—
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa
darśayan
—
indicating
baladevāya
—
unto Baladeva
śanaiḥ
—
very slowly
mugdhaḥ iva
—
as if He did not understand anything
āsadat
—
came near the demon .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
taṁ vatsa-rūpiṇaṁ vīkṣya
tam
unto the demon
vatsa - rūpiṇam
assuming the form of a calf
vīkṣya
seeing
vatsa-yūtha-gataṁ hariḥ
vatsa - yūtha - gatam
when the demon entered the group of all the other calves
hariḥ
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa
darśayan baladevāya
darśayan
indicating
baladevāya
unto Baladeva
śanair mugdha ivāsadat
śanaiḥ
very slowly
mugdhaḥ iva
as if He did not understand anything
āsadat
came near the demon .
When the Supreme Personality of Godhead saw that the demon had assumed the form of a calf and entered among the groups of other calves, He pointed out to Baladeva, “Here is another demon.” Then He very slowly approached the demon, as if He did not understand the demon’s intentions.
Purport
The import of the words mugdha iva is that although Kṛṣṇa knows everything, here He pretended that He did not understand why the demon had entered among the calves, and He informed Baladeva by a sign.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
When the Supreme Personality of Godhead saw that the demon had assumed the form of a calf and entered among the groups of other calves, He pointed out to Baladeva, "Here is another demon." Then He very slowly approached the demon, as if He did not understand the demon's intentions.
Commentary
With a glance of his eye, he informed Balarama (darsayan) and pretending that he did not know (mugdha iva), h close by (asadat).
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
He mingled with the calves, disguised as calf out of fear. He was sent forcibly by Kaṁsa because Pūtanā and others had been killed. Kṛṣṇa is called Hari because he takes away the life of demons and attracts the devotees. He also takes away the suffering of the demon by liberating him. Kṛṣṇa looked at Balarāma to indicate the demon in order to have some fun.
Related values & verses
Related verses
Concepts
Jiva
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Kṛṣṇa, though omniscient, plays mugdha — the Lord conceals His knowing to teach Baladeva and us how to discern hidden demons within the herd.
Practical Applications
- Notice today where you have quietly accepted a 'calf' into your inner herd — a habit, influence, or thought-stream that wears a familiar form but is hostile to bhakti.
- Before acting against an obvious obstacle, pause as Kṛṣṇa did — approach śanaiḥ, slowly, signaling to a trusted devotee (your Baladeva) before you move.
- Refuse the modern conceit that the Lord must look all-knowing to be trusted; honor His līlā of pretended-not-knowing as deliberate instruction, not weakness.
My note
Source: vedabase.io