FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.50.30

జగ్రాహ విరథం రామో జరాసన్ధం మహాబలమ్ । హతానీకావశిష్టాసుం సింహ: సింహమివౌజసా ॥ ౩౦ ॥
jagrāha virathaṁ rāmo
[jagraaha viratham raamo]
jarāsandhaṁ mahā-balam
[jaraasandham mahaa-balam]
hatānīkāvaśiṣṭāsuṁ
[hataaneekaavashishtaasum]
siṁhaḥ siṁham ivaujasā
[simhah simham ivaujasaa]
jagrāha — He seized viratham — who was deprived of his chariot rāmaḥ — Lord Balarāma jarāsandham — Jarāsandha mahā — very balam — strong hata — killed anīka — whose army avaśiṣṭa — remaining asum — whose breath siṁhaḥ — a lion siṁham — another lion iva — as ojasā — forcibly .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
jagrāha virathaṁ rāmo
jagrāha
He seized
viratham
who was deprived of his chariot
rāmaḥ
Lord Balarāma
jarāsandhaṁ mahā-balam
jarāsandham
Jarāsandha
mahā
very
balam
strong
hatānīkāvaśiṣṭāsuṁ
hata
killed
anīka
whose army
avaśiṣṭa
remaining
asum
whose breath
siṁhaḥ siṁham ivaujasā
siṁhaḥ
a lion
siṁham
another lion
iva
as
ojasā
forcibly .
  • rāmaḥ — Lord Balarāma
    Bala-rāma, 'He who delights in strength.' Saṅkarṣaṇa-tattva. In Gauḍīya theology, Balarāma is the original ādi-guru (cf. Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi 1.7) and also the source of all other Viṣṇu-expansions through the catur-vyūha.
  • siṁham — another lion
    Accusative of siṁha. The simile siṁhaḥ siṁham iva — 'as one lion seizes another lion' — preserves Jarāsandha's heroic dignity. He is not insignificant; even being caught by Balarāma is the catching of a lion. The seizure is itself a recognition.
  • viratham — deprived of his chariot
    Vi + ratha — 'without chariot.' In kṣatriya-dharma, the chariotless warrior must be spared by the chariotborne. The verse signals that what follows next is not killing but binding — and then releasing.
  • avaśiṣṭa-asum — having only his life-breath left
    Avaśiṣṭa (remaining) + asu (life-breath). Compound. Everything else stripped away — army gone, chariot gone, only the prāṇa left. Mirrors the bhakta's ideal śaraṇāgati: arriving at Kṛṣṇa with nothing but breath.
Jarāsandha, with his chariot lost and all his soldiers dead, was left with only his breath. At that point Lord Balarāma forcibly seized the powerful warrior, just as one lion takes hold of another.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Jarāsandha, with his chariot lost and all his soldiers dead, was left with only his breath. At that point Lord Balarāma forcibly seized the powerful warrior, just as one lion takes hold of another.
Commentary

Balarama seized Jarasandha, whose army was killed and whose life airs alone remained. (hata anika avasista asum).

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Hear another such pastime. Ojasā means “with speed.” As a lion grabs another lion, playing the human pastimes, Balarāma seized Jarāsandha, as a human seizes another human. He used strength (mahābalaḥ) to counter Jarāsandha’s strength, not his powers as the Lord. Instead of mahābalaḥ sometimes mahābalam is seen.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The events are described. Jarāsandha was without a chariot. Details are given in Hari-vaṁṣa. Ojasā means “with speed.” Balarāma captured him because he was full of power (mahābalaḥ) and Jarāsandha was devoid of power in body and mind (āvaśiṣṭāsum). Though the two seemed equal from material viewpoint in fighting with a club, Balarāma was stronger. That is illustrated with the example of the two lions.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)
Related verses
Concepts
Jiva

Balarāma seizes Jarāsandha as one lion seizes another — the Plough-Wielder, the elder brother, the original Saṅkarṣaṇa, takes the king of Magadha bare-handed. The simile is exact: not lion taking lamb, but lion taking lion. The line preserves Jarāsandha's grandeur even while showing him caught.

📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 50