FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.42.15

తత: పౌరాన్ పృచ్ఛమానో ధనుష: స్థానమచ్యుత: । తస్మిన్ ప్రవిష్టో దద‍ృశే ధనురైన్ద్రమివాద్భ‍ుతమ్ ॥ ౧౫ ॥
tataḥ paurān pṛcchamāno
[tatah pauraan prichchamaano]
dhanuṣaḥ sthānam acyutaḥ
[dhanushah sthaanam achyutah]
tasmin praviṣṭo dadṛśe
[tasmin pravishto dadrishe]
dhanur aindram ivādbhutam
[dhanur aindram ivaadbhutam]
tataḥ — then paurān — from the city residents pṛcchamānaḥ — inquiring about dhanuṣaḥ — of the bow sthānam — the place acyutaḥ — the infallible Supreme Lord tasmin — there praviṣṭaḥ — entering dadṛśe — He saw dhanuḥ — the bow aindram — that of Lord Indra iva — like adbhutam — amazing .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tataḥ paurān pṛcchamāno
tataḥ
then
paurān
from the city residents
pṛcchamānaḥ
inquiring about
dhanuṣaḥ sthānam acyutaḥ
dhanuṣaḥ
of the bow
sthānam
the place
acyutaḥ
the infallible Supreme Lord
tasmin praviṣṭo dadṛśe
tasmin
there
praviṣṭaḥ
entering
dadṛśe
He saw
dhanur aindram ivādbhutam
dhanuḥ
the bow
aindram
that of Lord Indra
iva
like
adbhutam
amazing .
  • dhanuṣaḥ-sthānam — the place of the bow
    Contiguous: dhanuṣa (bow) + sthāna (place). He asks where it is. Gauḍīya note: He knows already, of course — the asking is līlā, drawing the Mathurā-vāsīs into participation. Bhagavān stages even His own omniscience.
  • acyutaḥ — the infallible Supreme Lord
    The same name used at Kubjā's straightening (verse 7) is used again as He approaches the bow. The Bhāgavata is binding the two events: the same Acyuta who lifted Kubjā will lift and snap Kaṁsa's bow.
  • aindram — of Lord Indra (or like Indra's)
    Possessive adjective of indra. The bow is Indra-class — meant for kings. Gauḍīya note: aiśvarya-grade weapons are about to fall before the simple hands of the cowherd Lord.
  • adbhutam — amazing
    From a + √bhū — that which makes one say 'oh.' The Bhāgavata pre-names the scene as adbhuta-rasa. Rūpa Gosvāmī enumerates adbhuta as one of the seven auxiliary rasas; the chapter is staging it for the reader.
  • praviṣṭaḥ — entering
    Past participle of pra + √viś. He enters the arena. The Lord's entries are themselves marked events in the Bhāgavata — He never merely arrives; He praviśati, He penetrates the scene.
Lord Kṛṣṇa then asked the local people where the arena was in which the bow sacrifice would take place. When He went there He saw the amazing bow, which resembled Lord Indra’s.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Lord Kṛṣṇa then asked the local people where the arena was in which the bow sacrifice would take place. When He went there He saw the amazing bow, which resembled Lord Indra's.
Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

After showing mercy to the devotees, completely fixed in knowledge and power (acyutaḥ) he asked about the place of the bow, being carried away by amusing pastimes. It was like Indra’s bow (rainbow) because it was colorful with imbedded gems and huge. Thus it was astonishing. Hari-vaṁśa says: sa tayor darśayāmāsa tad dhanuḥ stambha-saṁnibham / anāropyam asaṁbhedyaṁ devair api savāsavaiḥ // The guard showed the two boys the bow which was like a pillar, which could not be strung or broken by the devatās.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)
Related verses

A surgeon asking directions to the operating theatre — He has come for one purpose, and even the city-folk's worship cannot delay it. The bow at the dhanur-yāga is the next item on the divine agenda; everything else, however sweet, must wait.

📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 42