Shloka 29
Inauspicious Omens and Arjuna’s Return from Dvārakā
कच्चिद्राजाहुको जीवत्यसत्पुत्रोऽस्य चानुज: । हृदीक: ससुतोऽक्रूरो जयन्तगदसारणा: ॥ २८ ॥ आसते कुशलं कच्चिद्ये च शत्रुजिदादय: । कच्चिदास्ते सुखं रामो भगवान् सात्वतां प्रभु: ॥ २९ ॥
kaccid rājāhuko jīvaty asat-putro ’sya cānujaḥ hṛdīkaḥ sasuto ’krūro jayanta-gada-sāraṇāḥ
Does King Ugrasena—whose wicked son was Kaṁsa—and his younger brother still live? Are Hṛdīka and his son Kṛtavarmā dwelling in happiness? Are Akrūra, Jayanta, Gada, Sāraṇa, Śatrujit and the rest all well? And how is Lord Balarāma, Bhagavān, protector of the devotees and master of the Sātvatas—does He abide in joy?
Hastināpura, the capital of the Pāṇḍavas, was situated somewhere near present New Delhi, and the kingdom of Ugrasena was situated in Mathurā. While returning to Delhi from Dvārakā, Arjuna must have visited the city of Mathurā, and therefore the inquiry about the King of Mathurā is valid. Amongst various names of the relatives, the name of Rāma or Balarāma, eldest brother of Lord Kṛṣṇa, is added with the words “the Personality of Godhead” because Lord Balarāma is the immediate expansion of viṣṇu-tattva as prakāśa-vigraha of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The Supreme Lord, although one without a second, expands Himself as many other living beings. The viṣṇu-tattva living beings are expansions of the Supreme Lord, and all of them are qualitatively and quantitatively equal with the Lord. But expansions of the jīva-śakti, the category of the ordinary living beings, are not at all equal with the Lord. One who considers the jīva-śakti and the viṣṇu-tattva to be on an equal level is considered a condemned soul of the world. Śrī Rāma, or Balarāma, is the protector of the devotees of the Lord. Baladeva acts as the spiritual master of all devotees, and by His causeless mercy the fallen souls are delivered. Śrī Baladeva appeared as Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu during the advent of Lord Caitanya, and the great Lord Nityānanda Prabhu exhibited His causeless mercy by delivering a pair of extremely fallen souls, namely Jagāi and Mādhāi. Therefore it is particularly mentioned herein that Balarāma is the protector of the devotees of the Lord. By His divine grace only one can approach the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and thus Śrī Balarāma is the mercy incarnation of the Lord, manifested as the spiritual master, the savior of the pure devotees.
FAQs
Āhuka is an elder in the Yadu line connected with Dvārakā; Arjuna asks whether he and other prominent Yadavas are still safe.
In the context of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s disappearance, Arjuna senses inauspiciousness and anxiously inquires about the welfare of Kṛṣṇa’s relatives and associates in Dvārakā.
It highlights caring inquiry and responsibility—checking on the well-being of one’s community, especially during uncertain or difficult times.