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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.43.4

అమ్బష్ఠామ్బష్ఠ మార్గం నౌ దేహ్యపక్రమ మా చిరమ్ । నో చేత్ సకుఞ్జరం త్వాద్య నయామి యమసాదనమ్ ॥ ౪ ॥
ambaṣṭhāmbaṣṭha mārgaṁ nau
[ambashthaambashtha maargam nau]
dehy apakrama mā ciram
[dehy apakrama maa chiram]
no cet sa-kuñjaraṁ tvādya
[no chet sa-kunjaram tvaadya]
nayāmi yama-sādanam
[nayaami yama-saadanam]
ambaṣṭha ambaṣṭha — O elephant-keeper, elephant-keeper mārgam — way nau — to Us dehi — give apakrama — move aside ma ciram — without delay na u cet — if not sa - kuñjaram — together with your elephant tva — you adya — today nayāmi — I will send yama — of the lord of death sādanam — to the abode .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ambaṣṭhāmbaṣṭha mārgaṁ nau
ambaṣṭha ambaṣṭha
O elephant-keeper, elephant-keeper
mārgam
way
nau
to Us
dehy apakrama mā ciram
dehi
give
apakrama
move aside
ma ciram
without delay
no cet sa-kuñjaraṁ tvādya
nayāmi yama-sādanam
na u cet
if not
sa - kuñjaram
together with your elephant
tva
you
adya
today
nayāmi
I will send
yama
of the lord of death
sādanam
to the abode .
  • mārgam — way
    Kṛṣṇa asks for 'the way' — the same word the Gauḍīyas read in śaraṇāgati: there is one mārga, His. To stand in it is to invite removal.
  • apakrama — move aside
    An imperative — Bhagavān gives the mahout a real chance to step out. The Gauḍīya reading: warning precedes punishment in every līlā, just as Prahlāda was offered every chance to denounce Viṣṇu before Hiraṇyakaśipu's death.
  • yama-sādanam — to the abode of Yamarāja
    Yama is dharmarāja, the in-house judge — sending the mahout there is not capricious violence but jurisdictional handover. Demonic action against Bhagavān is judged by Yama; surrender to Bhagavān bypasses Yama entirely (cf. Ajāmila, SB 6.1–3). A contiguous-token join of synonyms 'yama' and 'sādanam'.
  • sa-kuñjaram — together with your elephant
    The instrument shares the fate of the wielder. A Gauḍīya note: a soul who weaponizes prakṛti against the Lord drags prakṛti to the same destination.
[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] O driver, driver, move aside at once and let Us pass! If you don’t, this very day I will send both you and your elephant to the abode of Yamarāja!
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] O driver, driver, move aside at once and let Us pass! If you don't, this very day I will send both you and your elephant to the abode of Yamarāja!
Commentary

I will send you to the abode of Yama (yama sadanam). It also indicates liberation, as yama can also mean by mind control and sadana means to attain, that which is attained by control of the mind.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Kṛṣṇa addressed the elephant keeper twice, in order to make clear his determination, or to express his anger. He spoke to indicate that blocking the road was a great offense. Move off the road immediately (apakrama). I will send you to the abode of death. Present tense is used to indicate the near future. You have spent up your time. Today I will send you to death. The other meaning of yama-sādanam is “that which is produced (āsādhyate) by control of the mind (yama).” This indicates liberation.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Kṛṣṇa addressed the elephant keeper twice, in order to make clear his determination, or to express his anger. He spoke to indicate that blocking the road was a great offense. Move off the road immediately (apakrama). If you do not, then immediately I will send you to your death. Present tense indicates “right now.” Kuṣjaram means he who crumbles the earth (ku) with his tusks and weight.” This indicates the elephant’s strength.

Related values
Dana (Charity / Generosity)Dhriti (Resilience / Steadfastness / Fortitude)Udyama (Industriousness / Effort)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Seva (Service / Selfless Action)Yajña (Sacrifice / Spirit of Offering)
Related verses
Concepts
Jiva

Kṛṣṇa's warning to the mahout is the same warning embedded in every avatāra — step aside, the road is the Lord's. Yama's abode is not a threat invented for the moment; it is the actual destination of whatever tries to block Kṛṣṇa's path. The verse is mercy: He names the destination before He sends anyone there.

📝 My note

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