Shloka 33
The Lord’s Advent: Yoga-māyā’s Mission, Saṅkarṣaṇa’s Transfer, and the Demigods’ Prayers
तथा न ते माधव तावका: क्वचिद् भ्रश्यन्ति मार्गात्त्वयि बद्धसौहृदा: । त्वयाभिगुप्ता विचरन्ति निर्भया विनायकानीकपमूर्धसु प्रभो ॥ ३३ ॥
tathā na te mādhava tāvakāḥ kvacid bhraśyanti mārgāt tvayi baddha-sauhṛdāḥ tvayābhiguptā vicaranti nirbhayā vināyakānīkapa-mūrdhasu prabho
يا مَادهافا، إنّ بهاكتاك المربوطين بك بالمحبة، وإن زلّوا أحيانًا عن طريق البهاكتي، لا يسقطون كسقوط غير المتعبّدين، لأنك تظلّ تحرسهم. وتحت حمايتك يسيرون بلا خوف، كأنهم يطؤون رؤوس المعارضين، ويواصلون التقدّم في الخدمة التعبدية.
Devotees generally do not fall down, but if circumstantially they do, the Lord, because of their strong attachment to Him, gives them protection in all circumstances. Thus even if devotees fall down, they are still strong enough to traverse the heads of their enemies. We have actually seen that our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has many opponents, such as the “deprogrammers,” who instituted a strong legal case against the devotees. We thought that this case would take a long time to settle, but because the devotees were protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we unexpectedly won the case in one day. Thus a case that was expected to continue for years was settled in a day because of the protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has promised in Bhagavad-gītā (9.31) , kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati: “O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.” In history there are many instances of devotees like Citraketu, Indradyumna and Mahārāja Bharata who circumstantially fell down but were still protected. Mahārāja Bharata, for example, because of his attachment to a deer, thought of the deer at the time of death, and therefore in his next life he became a deer ( yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram ). Because of protection by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, the deer remembered his relationship with the Lord and next took birth in a good brahminical family and performed devotional service ( śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo ’bhijāyate ). Similarly, Citraketu fell down and became a demon, Vṛtrāsura, but he too was protected. Thus even if one falls down from the path of bhakti-yoga, one is ultimately saved. If a devotee is strongly situated in devotional service, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has promised to protect him ( kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati ). But even if a devotee circumstantially falls down, he is protected by Mādhava.
FAQs
This verse states that those who belong to Mādhava and remain lovingly bound to Him do not deviate from the spiritual path; under His protection they live and act fearlessly.
Because Krishna is about to appear to relieve the burden of evil forces, the demigods pray that His devotees—those devoted to Him in loving attachment—are safeguarded and cannot be overcome by obstacles.
By cultivating steady devotion and trust in the Lord’s guardianship—through prayer, remembrance, and disciplined practice—one gains inner courage to face obstacles without losing one’s spiritual direction.