Srimad Bhagavatam 10.56.14-22 - Rumours cannot be neglected in Preaching (download mp3)
by Jayadvaita Swami at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net
SB 10.56.14
prasenam sa-hayam hatva
manim acchidya kesari
girim visan jambavata
nihato manim icchata
Translation:
A lion killed Prasena and his horse and took the jewel. But when the lion entered a mountain cave he was killed by Jambavan, who wanted the jewel.
SB 10.56.15
so ’pi cakre kumarasya
manim kridanakam bile
apasyan bhrataram bhrata
satrajit paryatapyata
Translation:
Within the cave Jambavan let his young son have the Syamantaka jewel as a toy to play with. Meanwhile Satrajit, not seeing his brother return, became deeply troubled.
SB 10.56.16
prayah krsnena nihato
mani-grivo vanam gatah
bhrata mameti tac chrutva
karne karne ’japan janah
Translation:
He said, “Krsna probably killed my brother, who went to the forest wearing the jewel on his neck.” The general populace heard this accusation and began whispering it in one another’s ears.
SB 10.56.17
bhagavams tad upasrutya
duryaso liptam atmani
marstum prasena-padavim
anvapadyata nagaraih
Translation:
When Lord Krsna heard this rumor, He wanted to remove the stain on His reputation. So He took some of Dvaraka’s citizens with Him and set out to retrace Prasena’s path.
SB 10.56.18
hatam prasenam asvam ca
viksya kesarina vane
tam cadri-prsthe nihatam
rksena dadrsur janah
Translation:
In the forest they found Prasena and his horse, both killed by the lion. Further on they found the lion dead on a mountainside, slain by Rksa [Jambavan].
SB 10.56.19
rksa-raja-bilam bhimam
andhena tamasavrtam
eko vivesa bhagavan
avasthapya bahih prajah
Translation:
The Lord stationed His subjects outside the terrifying, pitch-dark cave of the king of the bears, and then He entered alone.
SB 10.56.20
tatra drstva mani-prestham
bala-kridanakam krtam
hartum krta-matis tasminn
avatasthe ’rbhakantike
Translation:
There Lord Krsna saw that the most precious of jewels had been made into a child’s plaything. Determined to take it away, He approached the child.
SB 10.56.21
tam apurvam naram drstva
dhatri cukrosa bhita-vat
tac chrutvabhyadravat kruddho
jambavan balinam varah
Translation:
The child’s nurse cried out in fear upon seeing that extraordinary person standing before them. Jambavan, strongest of the strong, heard her cries and angrily ran toward the Lord.
SB 10.56.22
sa vai bhagavata tena
yuyudhe svaminatmanah
purusam prakrtam matva
kupito nanubhava-vit
Translation:
Unaware of His true position and thinking Him an ordinary man, Jambavan angrily began fighting with the Supreme Lord, his master.
Purport:
The words purusam prakrtam matva, “thinking Him a mundane person,” are very significant. So-called Vedic scholars, including most Western ones, enjoy translating the word purusam as “man” even when the word refers to Lord Krsna, and thus their unauthorized translations of Vedic literature are tainted by their materialistic conceptions of the Godhead. However, here it is clearly stated that it was because Jambavan misunderstood the Lord’s position that he considered Him prakrta-purusa, “a mundane person.” In other words, the Lord is actually purusottama, “the ultimate transcendental person.”
