vasudevasya devakyāṁ
vasudevasya devakyāṁ
jāto bhojendra-bandhane
cikīrṣur bhagavān asyāḥ
śam ajenābhiyācitaḥ
Born in the womb of Devakī to Vasudeva in the prison of Kaṁsa, Kṛṣṇa desired to give happiness to the earth at the request of Brahmā.
In order to answer Vidura’s questions, Uddhava had to tell him about the disappearance of Kṛṣṇa. Now he attempts to explain this sad pastime along with the joyous pastimes. He was born in the prison (bandhane) of Kaṁsa. He desired to give happiness (śam) to the earth (asyāḥ) at the request of Brahmā (ajena).
|| 3.2.26 ||
tato nanda-vrajam itaḥ
pitrā kaṁsād vibibhyatā
ekādaśa samās tatra
gūḍhārciḥ sa-balo ’vasat
His father, afraid of Kaṁsa, brought him to Vraja and for eleven years he lived there with Balarāma, like a covered flame.
He was brought (itaḥ) by his father to Vraja. He lived there for eleven years (samāḥ). He is described as a covered flame because he performed his bālya, paugaṇḍa and kaiśora pastimes there, unknown to Kaṁsa and others. Or he can be called a covered flame because he covered his qualities as supreme lord with sweetness.
|| 3.2.27 ||
parīto vatsapair vatsāṁś
cārayan vyaharad vibhuḥ
yamunopavane kūjad-
dvija-saṅkulitāṅghripe
Herding the calves and surrounded by his young friends, the Lord played on the bank of the Yamunā in forests whose trees were filled with chirping birds.
The forests had trees (aṅghri-pa) filled with chirping birds (dvija).
|| 3.2.28 ||
kaumārīṁ darśayaṁś ceṣṭāṁ
prekṣaṇīyāṁ vrajaukasām
rudann iva hasan mugdha-
bāla-siṁhāvalokanaḥ
Showing his attractive infant pastimes to the people of Vraja, he would pretend to weep to get what he wanted and laugh when he got those things. When demons attacked, he appeared like a young lion, showing his bravery in spite of his fear.
Kṛṣṇa displayed crying like a child without the typical symptoms of tears (rudan iva). In front of the elder women he would seem to cry, stubbornly asking for things that should be given to him, and then when he got them he would smile and laugh. When fierce demons came to Vraja, Kṛṣṇa appeared just like a young lion who, though afraid of fierce animals in the forest, threatens them by showing his bravery. This caused anxiety in his parents who had affection for him.
|| 3.2.29 ||
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