SB 10.56.40-42 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.56.40-42

సోఽనుధ్యాయంస్తదేవాఘం బలవద్విగ్రహాకుల: । కథం మృజామ్యాత్మరజ: ప్రసీదేద్ వాచ్యుత: కథమ్ ॥ ౪౦ ॥ కిం కృత్వా సాధు మహ్యం స్యాన్న శపేద్ వా జనో యథా । అదీర్ఘదర్శనం క్షుద్రం మూఢం ద్రవిణలోలుపమ్ ॥ ౪౧ ॥ దాస్యే దుహితరం తస్మై స్‍త్రీరత్నం రత్నమేవ చ । ఉపాయోఽయం సమీచీనస్తస్య శాన్తిర్న చాన్యథా ॥ ౪౨ ॥

so ’nudhyāyaṁs tad evāghaṁ

[so ’nudhyaayams tad evaagham]

balavad-vigrahākulaḥ

[balavad-vigrahaakulah]

kathaṁ mṛjāmy ātma-rajaḥ

[katham mrijaamy aatma-rajah]

prasīded vācyutaḥ katham

[praseeded vaachyutah katham]

kim kṛtvā sādhu mahyaṁ syān

[kim kritvaa saadhu mahyam syaan]

na śaped vā jano yathā

[na shaped vaa jano yathaa]

adīrgha-darśanaṁ kṣudraṁ

[adeergha-darshanam kshudram]

mūḍhaṁ draviṇa-lolupam

[moodham dravina-lolupam]

dāsye duhitaraṁ tasmai

[daasye duhitaram tasmai]

strī-ratnaṁ ratnam eva ca

[stree-ratnam ratnam eva cha]

upāyo ’yaṁ samīcīnas

[upaayo ’yam sameecheenas]

tasya śāntir na cānyathā

[tasya shaantir na chaanyathaa]

Word-for-word

saḥ — he anudhyāyan — pondering over tat — that eva — indeed agham — offense bala - vat — with those who are powerful vigraha — about a conflict ākulaḥ — worried katham — how mṛjāmi — will I cleanse ātma — of myself rajaḥ — the contamination prasīdet — may become satisfied vā — or acyutaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa katham — how kim — what kṛtvā — doing sādhu — good mahyam — for me syāt — there may be na śapet — may not curse vā — or janaḥ — the people yathā — so as adīrgha — short-ranged darśanam — whose vision kṣudram — petty mūḍham — befooled draviṇa — after wealth lolupam — avaricious dāsye — I will give duhitaram — my daughter tasmai — to Him strī — of women ratnam — the jewel ratnam — the jewel eva ca — as well upāyaḥ — means ayam — this samīcīnaḥ — effective tasya — His śāntiḥ — pacification na — not ca — and anyathā — otherwise .

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

so ’nudhyāyaṁs tad evāghaṁ

balavad-vigrahākulaḥ

kathaṁ mṛjāmy ātma-rajaḥ

prasīded vācyutaḥ katham

kim kṛtvā sādhu mahyaṁ syān

saḥ

anudhyāyan

pondering over

na śaped vā jano yathā

adīrgha-darśanaṁ kṣudraṁ

mūḍhaṁ draviṇa-lolupam

dāsye duhitaraṁ tasmai

tat

that

strī-ratnaṁ ratnam eva ca

eva

indeed

agham

offense

bala - vat

with those who are powerful

vigraha

about a conflict

ākulaḥ

worried

katham

how

mṛjāmi

will I cleanse

upāyo ’yaṁ samīcīnas

tasya śāntir na cānyathā

ātma

of myself

rajaḥ

the contamination

prasīdet

may become satisfied

vā

acyutaḥ

Lord Kṛṣṇa

katham

how

kim

what

kṛtvā

doing

sādhu

good

mahyam

for me

syāt

there may be

na śapet

may not curse

vā

janaḥ

the people

yathā

so as

adīrgha

short-ranged

darśanam

whose vision

kṣudram

petty

mūḍham

befooled

draviṇa

after wealth

lolupam

avaricious

dāsye

I will give

duhitaram

my daughter

tasmai

to Him

strī

of women

ratnam

the jewel

ratnam

the jewel

eva ca

as well

upāyaḥ

means

ayam

this

samīcīnaḥ

effective

tasya

His

śāntiḥ

pacification

not

and

anyathā

otherwise .

Important Words

agham — offense
Same word used for the demon Aghāsura earlier in the canto. The offense and the demon share the name — to commit agha is to host the demon, to repent of agha is to do what Kṛṣṇa did to Aghāsura: enter and dismantle it from within.
mṛjāmi ātma-rajaḥ — I will cleanse my own contamination
Compound idea: mṛj (cleanse) + ātma (self) + rajaḥ (dust, contamination). The chapter's recurring verb of cleaning returns one final time — on the lips of the offender. Bhāgavata structure: the verb passes from Bhagavān to devotee.
acyutaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa, the infallible
From a (not) + √cyu (fall). 'He who never falls' — and never lets His devotee fall. Satrājit names Bhagavān with this name precisely when wondering whether he can be forgiven: a precise theological choice, because acyutas refuse to let surrendered souls slip.
strī-ratnam — jewel of women
Compound: strī (woman) + ratna (jewel). The chapter doubles the word ratna deliberately — both the gem and Satyabhāmā are called ratna. Bhagavān's true wealth is His devotees; the mineral wealth is secondary.
śāntiḥ — pacification
From √śam. The chapter's resolution-word. Bhagavān's śānti — His being mollified — is the only thing Satrājit now wants. Gauḍīya bhakti: when bhagavat-śānti is the only remaining desire, the soul has crossed.

Pondering over his grievous offense and worried about the possibility of conflict with the Lord’s mighty devotees, King Satrājit thought, “How can I cleanse myself of my contamination, and how may Lord Acyuta become satisfied with me? What can I do to regain my good fortune and avoid being cursed by the populace for being so short-sighted, miserly, foolish and avaricious? I shall give my daughter, the jewel of all women, to the Lord, together with the Syamantaka jewel. That, indeed, is the only proper way to pacify Him.”

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

Pondering over his grievous offense and worried about the possibility of conflict with the Lord's mighty devotees, King Satrājit thought, "How can I cleanse myself of my contamination, and how may Lord Acyuta become satisfied with me? What can I do to regain my good fortune and avoid being cursed by the populace for being so short-sighted, miserly, foolish and avaricious? I shall give my daughter, the jewel of all women, to the Lord, together with the Syamantaka jewel. That, indeed, is the only proper way to pacify Him."

Commentary

Worried about strife with strong followers of Krsna, he began to think. His thoughts are described in two and half verses.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya

Commentary

He thought continually (anu-dhyāyan) about his sin, and because it was a great sin, he thought of only that (eva) and nothing else. He was overcome with anxiety about conflict with the powerful Lord (balavat) or his devotees because of spreading the rumor. His thoughts are then described. Kṛṣṇa does not deviate from his nature (acyutaḥ). How can I please him? All the people (janaḥ) should not curse me because my bad qualities such as being short-sighted. Thus, this jewel is not suitable for mortals like me. I am low. Therefore though I have obtained it, I should offer the jewel to the Lord. Though he asked for it, I was foolish (mūḍhaḥ) and stooped to defaming him. All these qualities have arisen because I was greedy for wealth. “How will he be satisfied with your daughter and become peaceful?” His peace, his (tasya) dissipation of sorrow, or the atonement for my offense (tasya), will result from giving the jewel of my daughter and the Syamantaka jewel. No other means, such as killing myself, will produce this atonement.

Related values & verses

Related values

Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Bhakti (Devotion)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Nyaya (Justice / Righteous Judgment)Apaishunam (Non-slander)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)

Concepts

Darshana

Related lectures

Padaseva Pr SB 10-56-40 Oriya
His Grace Padaseva Prabhu· Oriya

Personal Guidance

Analogy

Satrājit makes the same calculation the chapter has been making for him — give the daughter, give the jewel, end the rift. He has finally found the answer: Bhagavān can be appeased only by full surrender. The arithmetic of bhakti has, at last, been worked out on his slate.

Stories

Ambarīṣa Mahārāja's atonement

When Durvāsā cursed Mahārāja Ambarīṣa after a fast-day quarrel, the Sudarśana cakra chased Durvāsā across the three worlds. Durvāsā fled to Brahmā, to Śiva, and finally to Viṣṇu — who told him to return to Ambarīṣa and beg the devotee's forgiveness.

The Bhāgavata's logic, repeated here: offenses against Bhagavān's plan must be atoned by going to His devotees. Satrājit chooses correctly — Kṛṣṇa Himself. The path Durvāsā learned the hard way.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io