Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.50.5-6
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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kāraṇa
—
the cause
Kāraṇa-mānuṣaḥ: 'the Cause appearing as a man.' Echoes Brahma-saṁhitā 5.1 — sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. Kṛṣṇa is not playing a role He could not actually fulfill; He IS the cause, but conceals omniscience under Yadu-līlā.
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bhagavān
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the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Bhaga (six opulences) + -vat. Used here precisely when Kṛṣṇa appears most human — 'thinking' His response. Gauḍīya rule: Bhagavān-tattva is most concealed in the most intimate, most mānuṣa-like līlās.
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udvelam
—
having overflowed its boundaries
Ud-vela — past the shore. The simile of an ocean breaching its banks: a controlled image, since the ocean is also Kṛṣṇa's bed (Kṣīrodakaśāyī). Even the overflowing army is contained inside His own form.
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sva-avatāra-prayojanam
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the purpose of His descent
Contiguous join from sva, avatāra, prayojanam. The verse names the doctrinal axis: every līlā is shaped by avatāra-prayojana, not by reaction. Kṛṣṇa is never improvising; He is fulfilling a pre-set purpose, here being made visible.
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mānuṣaḥ
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appearing as a human being
The mānuṣa-līlā doctrine: Kṛṣṇa hides His aiśvarya so that mādhurya-rasa can flow. Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu treats this concealment as the very basis of intimate exchange — without it, devotees could not approach Him as friend, child, or beloved.
The ācāryas point out that the Supreme Godhead did not have to worry about a mortal attack from Jarāsandha and his soldiers. But, as stated here, Śrī Kṛṣṇa was playing the part of a human being ( kāraṇa-mānuṣaḥ ), and He played the part well. This play is called līlā, the Lord’s enactment of spiritual pastimes for the pleasure of His devotees. Although ordinary persons may be dumbfounded by the Lord’s pastimes, the devotees derive tremendous pleasure from His inimitable style of behavior. Thus Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī points out that Śrī Kṛṣṇa thought as follows: “How should I defeat Jarāsandha? Should I kill the army but not Jarāsandha, or should I kill Jarāsandha and take the army for Myself? Or perhaps I should just kill both of them.” Lord Kṛṣṇa’s conclusion is described in the following verses.
Krsna observed Jarasandha’s army which was like an ocean overflowing its banks, going beyond its limits and began to wonder. But did Krsna really worry about that? No, there is no necessity, because he is the cause of all causes, the great controller (karana), appearing in a human form (manusya). Then what did he begin wondering about? That is described in the next four verses.
Kṛṣṇa, the cause of all elements and has a human-like form which is not material (kāraṇa-mānuṣaḥ), considered what was proper according to place and time because Mathurā was being attacked by huge armies. He had to act quickly.
Jarāsandha’s troops were unlimited like an ocean overflowing the shore. The Lord who removes the burden of the earth (hariḥ), endowed with all powers (bhagavān), began to think, because he was acting as a human for his goal (kāraṇa) of removing the burden of the earth. He thought what was suitable for time and place. The huge army had surrounded Mathurā. The army must be destroyed. He had to act quickly.
Kṛṣṇa the kāraṇa of all causes watches the ocean of armies break against His walls and consults Himself like a human strategist. The Cause-of-causes plays the Yadu prince — this is His vow: to act for our sake the way one of us would have to act.
My note
Source: vedabase.io