FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.37.13

స త్వం భూధరభూతానాం దైత్యప్రమథరక్షసామ్ । అవతీర్ణో వినాశాయ సాధునాం రక్షణాయ చ ॥ ౧౩ ॥
sa tvaṁ bhūdhara-bhūtānāṁ
[sa tvam bhoodhara-bhootaanaam]
daitya-pramatha-rakṣasām
[daitya-pramatha-rakshasaam]
avatīrṇo vināśāya
[avateerno vinaashaaya]
sādhunāṁ rakṣaṇāya ca
[saadhunaam rakshanaaya cha]
saḥ — He tvam — Yourself bhū - dhara — as kings bhūtānām — who are appearing daitya - pramatha - rakṣasām — of various kinds of demons avatīrṇaḥ — You have descended vināśāya — for the destruction sādhūnām — of saintly persons rakṣaṇāya — for the protection ca — and .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa tvaṁ bhūdhara-bhūtānāṁ
saḥ
He
tvam
Yourself
bhū - dhara
as kings
bhūtānām
who are appearing
daitya-pramatha-rakṣasām
daitya - pramatha - rakṣasām
of various kinds of demons
avatīrṇo vināśāya
avatīrṇaḥ
You have descended
vināśāya
for the destruction
sādhunāṁ rakṣaṇāya ca
sādhūnām
of saintly persons
rakṣaṇāya
for the protection
ca
and .
  • avatīrṇaḥ — descended
    Ava-tṝ — to cross down. The technical word for the Lord's descent into the world. Gauḍīyas distinguish avatāra (the Lord's own descent) from the jīva's birth: the Lord crosses down, the soul falls down.
  • sādhūnām — of saintly persons
    Sādhu — one who is straight, true, devoted. The protected class. Gauḍīyas read sādhu narrowly: a sādhu is not merely a moral person but one whose life is oriented toward Kṛṣṇa.
  • rakṣaṇāya — for the protection of
    From rakṣ — to guard. The Lord's descent is always protective; even His killing of asuras is framed as rakṣaṇa for the devotees.
  • daitya-pramatha-rakṣasām — of various kinds of demons
    Three demon-classes named together: Daityas (sons of Diti), Pramathas (Śiva's wrathful followers gone rogue), Rākṣasas (night-stalkers). Nārada is comprehensive — every demonic class is on the list.
You, that very same creator, have now descended to the earth to annihilate the Daitya, Pramatha and Rākṣasa demons who are posing as kings, and also to protect the godly.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
You, that very same creator, have now descended on the earth to annihilate the Daitya, Pramatha and Rākṣasa demons who are posing as kings, and also to protect the godly.
Commentary

Therefore I have come today to make a request. You are the creator (sa) mentioned in the previous verse, and have appeared to protect the devotees and destroy the demon who are acting as kings.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Having shown his two aspects, Nārada now explains the cause for Kṛṣṇa’s appearance in this world, in a sequence of pastimes. Though you have this nature, you have appeared to destroy those who oppose bhakti and to protect those who propagate bhakti. Another version has setūnām: you protect the kings who enforce bhakti. Pramatha (type of demon, follower of Śiva) refers to the king of Kāśī and others.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

He who creates this world of good and bad is you. You appear to destroy completely, giving liberation to demons and pramathas in the form of kings like Śiśupāla. I have committed offense by having your devotees who should be protected tied up.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Prema (Divine Love)Svadhyaya (Self-study & Scripture Study)Samata (Equanimity / Even-mindedness)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)
Related verses
Concepts
Jiva

The same creator who set up the stage has now walked onto it in costume — to remove the actors who refused to play their parts. Daityas, Pramathas, Rākṣasas dressed as kings will be unmasked one by one, and the sādhus, who never wanted thrones, will get their peace back.

The paritrāṇāya verse, restated in Vraja

Nārada's couplet here — 'descended for the destruction of demonic kings and the protection of the godly' — is the Bhāgavatam's deliberate echo of BG 4.8 (paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām). The Gītā states the principle; Canto 10 demonstrates it.

Gauḍīyas note that Nārada says it now, mid-Vraja-līlā, just before Vraja closes — as if reminding Kṛṣṇa Himself of the mission statement before He boards Akrūra's chariot for Mathurā.

📝 My note

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