FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.63.24

మాహేశ్వర: సమాక్రన్దన్ వైష్ణవేన బలార్దిత: । అలబ్ధ్వాభయమన్యత్ర భీతో మాహేశ్వరో జ్వర: । శరణార్థీ హృషీకేశం తుష్టావ ప్రయతాఞ్జలి: ॥ ౨౪ ॥
māheśvaraḥ samākrandan
[maaheshvarah samaakrandan]
vaiṣṇavena balārditaḥ
[vaishnavena balaarditah]
alabdhvābhayam anyatra
[alabdhvaabhayam anyatra]
bhīto māheśvaro jvaraḥ
[bheeto maaheshvaro jvarah]
śaraṇārthī hṛṣīkeśaṁ
[sharanaarthee hrisheekesham]
tuṣṭāva prayatāñjaliḥ
[tushtaava prayataanjalih]
māheśvaraḥ — (the fever weapon) of Lord Śiva samākrandan — crying out vaiṣṇavena — of the Vaiṣṇava-jvara bala — by the strength arditaḥ — tormented alabdhvā — not obtaining abhayam — fearlessness anyatra — elsewhere bhītaḥ — frightened māheśvaraḥ jvaraḥ — the Māheśvara-jvara śaraṇa — for shelter arthī — hankering hṛṣīkeśam — Lord Kṛṣṇa, the master of everyone’s senses tuṣṭāva — he praised prayata - añjaliḥ — with palms joined in supplication .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
māheśvaraḥ samākrandan
māheśvaraḥ
(the fever weapon) of Lord Śiva
samākrandan
crying out
vaiṣṇavena balārditaḥ
vaiṣṇavena
of the Vaiṣṇava-jvara
bala
by the strength
arditaḥ
tormented
alabdhvābhayam anyatra
alabdhvā
not obtaining
abhayam
fearlessness
anyatra
elsewhere
bhīto māheśvaro jvaraḥ
bhītaḥ
frightened
māheśvaraḥ jvaraḥ
the Māheśvara-jvara
śaraṇārthī hṛṣīkeśaṁ
śaraṇa
for shelter
arthī
hankering
hṛṣīkeśam
Lord Kṛṣṇa, the master of everyone’s senses
tuṣṭāva prayatāñjaliḥ
tuṣṭāva
he praised
prayata - añjaliḥ
with palms joined in supplication .
  • alabdhvā abhayam anyatra — not finding fearlessness elsewhere
    Absolutive + accusative. The structural condition of true śaraṇāgati: only when every other shelter has been examined and rejected does the soul turn to Bhagavān. Gauḍīyas read this as the necessary preliminary to genuine prapatti.
  • śaraṇa-arthī — seeking shelter
    Compound: śaraṇa (shelter) + arthin (one seeking). The technical Gauḍīya term for the prapanna-jīva. Even a Śiva-weapon, on becoming śaraṇārthī of Kṛṣṇa, becomes momentarily a model for every bound soul.
  • hṛṣīkeśam — the master of the senses
    Compound: hṛṣīka (senses) + īśa (master). Kṛṣṇa as controller of the senses — Gītā 1.21 and onward. The address is chosen for the situation: the Śiva-jvara, a sensory-affliction-deity, surrenders to the lord of senses, the only one with jurisdiction.
  • prayata-añjaliḥ — with joined palms restrained
    Compound: prayata (self-controlled) + añjali (joined palms). The bodily posture of stuti. Gauḍīyas note: prayata is more than 'folded' — it implies inner saṁyama; añjali without prayata is just hand-folding.
The Śiva-jvara, overwhelmed by the strength of the Viṣṇu-jvara, cried out in pain. But finding no refuge, the frightened Śiva-jvara approached Lord Kṛṣṇa, the master of the senses, hoping to attain His shelter. Thus with joined palms he began to praise the Lord.

As pointed out by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, it is significant that the Śiva-jvara had to leave the side of his master, Lord Śiva, and directly take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The Śiva-jvara, overwhelmed by the strength of the Viṣṇu-jvara, cried out in pain. But finding no refuge, the frightened Śiva-jvara approached Lord Kṛṣṇa, the master of the senses, hoping to attain His shelter. Thus with joined palms he began to praise the Lord.
Commentary

Jvara began to weep. Not finding relief from fear even after going to his own master Siva, knowing Siva could not protect him, being very afraid (bhita), he offered respects to Krsna on the ground, and with devotion he offered praise with folded hands.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Wailing loudly (samākrandan), the Śiva-jvara fought. Then he became afflicted by the strength of Viṣṇu-jvara. Not finding fearlessness elsewhere, wherever he went in fear, he was followed by Viṣṇu-jvara, like Durvasā being followed by Sudarśaṇa. He went everywhere in the mood of surrender, asking “Please protect me” but no one could save him from fear. Then, fearful, desiring protection or shelter (śaraṇārthī), he folded his hands, being purified by devotion, or enthusiastic with devotion (prayata) and praised the Lord. Another version has praṇata: bowing with devotion. Kṛṣṇa was master of his senses he thought compassionately of him. “Śiva-jvara, afflicted by me, is now surrendering to me.”

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Udyama (Industriousness / Effort)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)
Related verses

Even Śiva's own weapon, when overwhelmed, runs not back to Śiva but forward to Kṛṣṇa. The Māheśvara-jvara discovers what every conditioned soul discovers — abhaya is found nowhere but in Bhagavān's hand. With joined palms the fever does what asuras rarely do: he begins to praise.

Gajendra's last refuge

When the elephant Gajendra, gripped in the crocodile's jaws, exhausts his own strength and the strength of his herd, he finally calls out to Bhagavān (SB 8.2–3). The Lord arrives instantly because the call is finally addressed correctly.

The Śiva-jvara's flight to Kṛṣṇa is the same gesture in a different body: defeated by a higher śakti, refuge is taken with the source of that śakti. Gauḍīyas treat Gajendra-mokṣa as the paradigm — and read this verse as its asura-side echo.

📝 My note

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