Shloka 44
Bhṛgu Tests the Trimūrti; Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna Visit Mahā-Viṣṇu and Recover the Brāhmaṇa’s Sons
विप्रापत्यमचक्षाणस्तत ऐन्द्रीमगात् पुरीम् । आग्नेयीं नैऋर्तीं सौम्यां वायव्यां वारुणीमथ । रसातलं नाकपृष्ठं धिष्ण्यान्यन्यान्युदायुध: ॥ ४३ ॥ ततोऽलब्धद्विजसुतो ह्यनिस्तीर्णप्रतिश्रुत: । अग्निं विविक्षु: कृष्णेन प्रत्युक्त: प्रतिषेधता ॥ ४४ ॥
viprāpatyam acakṣāṇas tata aindrīm agāt purīm āgneyīṁ nairṛtīṁ saumyāṁ vāyavyāṁ vāruṇīm atha rasātalaṁ nāka-pṛṣṭhaṁ dhiṣṇyāny anyāny udāyudhaḥ
Da er dort das Kind des Brāhmaṇa nicht sah, ging Arjuna zu den Städten Indras, Agnis, Nirṛtis, Somas, Vāyus und Varuṇas. Mit bereiten Waffen suchte er von Rasātala bis zur Himmelswölbung. Doch da er den Sohn des Dvija nicht fand und sein Gelübde unerfüllt blieb, wollte er in das heilige Feuer treten; da hielt ihn Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa zurück und sprach.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī comments that Arjuna trusted Lord Śiva implicitly as his guru, and so he did not bother to search out Lord Śiva’s celestial abode.
FAQs
Because he had vowed to protect the brāhmaṇa’s newborn sons, and after failing to recover one, he felt he had not honored his pledge and chose self-immolation as atonement.
Kṛṣṇa restrained Arjuna, indicating that despair and self-destruction were not the right response; instead, Kṛṣṇa would guide the proper course to resolve the situation and protect dharma.
When you fail despite sincere effort, don’t act impulsively out of guilt; seek wise guidance, remain steady in duty, and take constructive steps rather than self-harm or hopelessness.