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Shloka 24

Garuḍa, Saubhari’s Curse, Kāliya’s Refuge, and Kṛṣṇa Saves Vraja from Forest Fire

Devanagari script

सुदुस्तरान्न: स्वान् पाहि कालाग्ने: सुहृद: प्रभो । न शक्नुमस्त्वच्चरणं सन्त्यक्तुमकुतोभयम् ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

su-dustarān naḥ svān pāhi kālāgneḥ suhṛdaḥ prabho na śaknumas tvac-caraṇaṁ santyaktum akuto-bhayam

Translation

O Herr! Wir sind die Deinen, Deine Freunde und Geweihten. Beschütze uns vor diesem unüberwindlichen Feuer des Todes. Wir können Deine lotusgleichen Füße, die alle Furcht vertreiben, niemals verlassen.

Synonyms
सु-दुस्तरान्very hard to overcome
सु-दुस्तरान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootसु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + दुस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (m. acc. pl.); कर्मधारय-प्रायः (intensified: very difficult to cross/overcome)
नःour
नः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (gen. pl. “of us/our”)
स्वान्your own (people)
स्वान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootस्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (m. acc. pl.); “one’s own (people)”
पाहिprotect
पाहि:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√पा (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकारः (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (protect!)
कालाग्नेःfrom the fire of Time
कालाग्नेः:
Apadana (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootकाल (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (m. gen. sg.); तत्पुरुषः “कालस्य अग्निः” (the fire of Time/death)
सुहृदः(your) friends
सुहृदः:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसुहृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (m. acc. pl.); “friends/well-wishers” (addressing as protect our friends)
प्रभोO Lord
प्रभो:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (m. voc. sg.)
नnot
न:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negation)
शक्नुमःwe are able
शक्नुमः:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√शक् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकारः (Present), उत्तम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (we are able)
त्वत्-चरणम्your feet
त्वत्-चरणम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootत्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (n. acc. sg.); तत्पुरुषः “त्वत् चरणम्” (your feet)
सन्त्यक्तुम्to abandon
सन्त्यक्तुम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeVerb
Root√त्यज् (धातु) उपसर्गः सम्-
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्तम् (infinitive): “to abandon completely”
अकुतो-भयम्fearless (from any side)
अकुतो-भयम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootअकुतः (अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (n. acc. sg.); अव्ययीभावः “अकुतः भयम्” = “from nowhere fear”; त्वत्-चरणम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्
Purport

The residents of Vṛndāvana told Kṛṣṇa, “If this deadly fire overcomes us, we will be separated from Your lotus feet, and this is unbearable for us. Therefore, just so that we can go on serving Your lotus feet, please protect us.”

Characters & Entities
K
Krishna

FAQs

This verse says the devotees cannot give up Krishna’s lotus feet because His shelter grants “akuto-bhaya”—fearlessness from all directions—making surrender the safest refuge amid danger and uncertainty.

In the Krishna-līlā setting, they perceive overwhelming danger and helplessness, so they appeal to Krishna as their intimate well-wisher, asking Him to protect them from inevitable destruction symbolized as the blazing force of Time.

The verse advises choosing a stable spiritual anchor—remembering and serving Krishna, and returning to His shelter—so that external upheavals (time, loss, uncertainty) do not uproot one’s inner courage and direction.

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