FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.68.21

ఉగ్రసేన: క్షితేశేశో యద్ వ ఆజ్ఞాపయత్ ప్రభు: । తదవ్యగ్రధియ: శ్రుత్వా కురుధ్వమవిలమ్బితమ్ ॥ ౨౧ ॥
ugrasenaḥ kṣiteśeśo
[ugrasenah kshiteshesho]
yad va ājñāpayat prabhuḥ
[yad va aajnaapayat prabhuh]
tad avyagra-dhiyaḥ śrutvā
[tad avyagra-dhiyah shrutvaa]
kurudhvam avilambitam
[kurudhvam avilambitam]
ugrasenaḥ — King Ugrasena kṣita — of the earth īśa — of rulers īśaḥ — the ruler yat — what vaḥ — of you ājñāpayat — has demanded prabhuḥ — our master tat — that avyagra - dhiyaḥ — with undivided attention śrutvā — hearing kurudhvam — you should do avilambitam — without delay .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ugrasenaḥ kṣiteśeśo
ugrasenaḥ
King Ugrasena
kṣita
of the earth
īśa
of rulers
īśaḥ
the ruler
yad va ājñāpayat prabhuḥ
yat
what
vaḥ
of you
ājñāpayat
has demanded
prabhuḥ
our master
tad avyagra-dhiyaḥ śrutvā
tat
that
avyagra - dhiyaḥ
with undivided attention
śrutvā
hearing
kurudhvam avilambitam
kurudhvam
you should do
avilambitam
without delay .
  • ugrasenaḥ — King Ugrasena
    Balarāma frames the request as Ugrasena's — the Yādava king's — not His own or Kṛṣṇa's. This is courtesy and statecraft: the Kurus are asked to honor a fellow monarch's wish, not to yield to a personal threat.
  • kṣita - īśa - īśaḥ — ruler of the rulers of earth
    A high title. By naming Ugrasena thus, Balarāma signals that the Yādava king's word carries the weight of an emperor — and behind him stands Kṛṣṇa.
  • avilambitam — without delay
    A-vi-lambita = 'not hanging back.' The request is not a debate. Balarāma still expects compliance — the next ten verses will show what happens when compliance is refused.
[Lord Balarāma said:] King Ugrasena is our master and the ruler of kings. With undivided attention you should hear what he has ordered you to do, and then you should do it at once.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
[Lord Balarāma said:] King Ugrasena is our master and the ruler of kings. With undivided attention you should hear what he has ordered you to do, and then you should do it at once.
Commentary

You are kings but Ugrasena is the ruler or king of you (ksiti isa isa). Why? Because he is master (prabhu), whose order Indra and others carry out, offering him tribute in the form of the sudharma hall and the parijata tree. Yayati forbade the Yadus from being kings, but he did not forbid them from being rulers of kings. You should listen carefully to his order, otherwise he will punish you.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Since Ugrasena is the lord of the earth, you should obey his order. He is also the giver of orders to great kings (prabhuḥ). He was not called a king because Yayati had forbidden the Yadus to be kings (since Yadu refused to give Yayati his youth). That you should obey him is also reasonable since you are careful people (avyagra-dhiyaḥ). Or he says this to put them at ease. Be peaceful (avyagra-dhihaḥ). Do not be fearful, worrying about what will happen.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

His order should be followed because he is the lord of kings (kṣiteśeṣaḥ) since he is the lord of us Yadus (prabhuḥ). Or he is the lord of all people (prabhuḥ). You should carefully hear his order. Balarāma speaks in this way to destroy their pride as kings and make them angry and to show his own bravery. And out of compassion he wanted to make the foolish persons intelligent. That is revealed later.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)
Related verses

The elder brother delivers the king's order with the calm of a person who has himself never needed to raise his voice — because behind the order stands a power the Kurus have not yet measured.

📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 68