Shloka 11
Kṛṣṇa Swallows the Forest Fire (Dāvāgni-līlā) and Restores the Herd
श्रीशुक उवाच वचो निशम्य कृपणं बन्धूनां भगवान् हरि: । निमीलयत मा भैष्ट लोचनानीत्यभाषत ॥ ११ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca vaco niśamya kṛpaṇaṁ bandhūnāṁ bhagavān hariḥ nimīlayata mā bhaiṣṭa locanānīty abhāṣata
Śukadeva Gosvāmī sprach: Als der Herr Hari die kläglichen Worte Seiner Freunde hörte, sagte Er: „Schließt die Augen und fürchtet euch nicht.“
This verse clearly reveals the simple, sublime relationship between Kṛṣṇa and His pure devotees. The Absolute Truth, the supreme almighty Lord, is actually a young, blissful cowherd boy named Kṛṣṇa. God is youthful, and His mentality is playful. When He saw that His beloved friends were terrified of the forest fire, He simply told them to close their eyes and not be afraid. Then Lord Kṛṣṇa acted, as described in the next verse.
FAQs
This verse shows that when devotees feel helpless, the Lord personally reassures them—“Do not be afraid”—indicating that surrender to Him brings protection and inner fearlessness.
In this līlā, Kṛṣṇa is guiding His cowherd friends through a situation that made them anxious; He comforts them and prepares them for what He is about to reveal or do, keeping them calm under His protection.
When anxiety arises, remember the Lord’s protective presence, take shelter through prayer and steady practice (bhakti), and act with trust rather than panic—doing your duty while relying on divine guidance.