Shloka 27
Gokula’s Wonder, Kṛṣṇa’s Bhakta-vaśyatā, the Move to Vṛndāvana, and the Slaying of Vatsāsura and Bakāsura
यावदौत्पातिकोऽरिष्टो व्रजं नाभिभवेदित: । तावद्बालानुपादाय यास्यामोऽन्यत्र सानुगा: ॥ २७ ॥
yāvad autpātiko ’riṣṭo vrajaṁ nābhibhaved itaḥ tāvad bālān upādāya yāsyāmo ’nyatra sānugāḥ
All these disturbances are surely caused by some unknown asura. Before the ominous Ariṣṭa comes to Vraja to create further turmoil, we should take the boys with us and, along with our companions, go elsewhere.
Upananda suggested, “By the mercy of Lord Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa has always been saved from so many dangerous incidents. Now let us leave this place and go someplace where we may worship Lord Viṣṇu undisturbed, before there is another cause of death from some demon who may attack us.” A devotee desires only that he may execute devotional service undisturbed. Actually we see, however, that even during the presence of Kṛṣṇa, when Nanda Mahārāja and the other cowherd men had the Supreme Personality of Godhead in their presence, there were disturbances. Of course, in every case, Kṛṣṇa came out victorious. The instruction we may derive from this is that we should not be disturbed by so-called disturbances. There have been so many disturbances to our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, but we cannot give up our forward march. On the contrary, people are receiving this movement very enthusiastically all over the world, and they are purchasing literature about Kṛṣṇa consciousness with redoubled energy. Thus there are both encouragements and disturbances. This was so even in Kṛṣṇa’s time.
FAQs
This verse describes Ariṣṭa as an inauspicious threat capable of overpowering Vraja, prompting the Vrajavāsīs to consider relocating with the children for safety.
Fearing the ominous arrival of Ariṣṭa and potential danger to Vraja—especially to the children—Nanda proposes moving temporarily with their companions to avoid calamity.
The shloka highlights prudent responsibility: when danger is foreseen, one should take protective, community-minded steps—without panic—especially to safeguard the vulnerable.