Shloka 6
Kṛṣṇa Leads Kālayavana to Mucukunda; The Yavana Is Burned; Mucukunda’s Prayers and Boon of Bhakti
श्रीशुक उवाच तं विलोक्य विनिष्क्रान्तमुज्जिहानमिवोडुपम् । दर्शनीयतमं श्यामं पीतकौशेयवाससम् ॥ १ ॥ श्रीवत्सवक्षसं भ्राजत्कौस्तुभामुक्तकन्धरम् । पृथुदीर्घचतुर्बाहुं नवकञ्जारुणेक्षणम् ॥ २ ॥ नित्यप्रमुदितं श्रीमत्सुकपोलं शुचिस्मितम् । मुखारविन्दं बिभ्राणं स्फुरन्मकरकुण्डलम् ॥ ३ ॥ वासुदेवो ह्ययमिति पुमान् श्रीवत्सलाञ्छन: । चतुर्भुजोऽरविन्दाक्षो वनमाल्यतिसुन्दर: ॥ ४ ॥ लक्षणैर्नारदप्रोक्तैर्नान्यो भवितुमर्हति । निरायुधश्चलन् पद्भ्यां योत्स्येऽनेन निरायुध: ॥ ५ ॥ इति निश्चित्य यवन: प्राद्रवद् तं पराङ्मुखम् । अन्वधावज्जिघृक्षुस्तं दुरापमपि योगिनाम् ॥ ६ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca taṁ vilokya viniṣkrāntam ujjihānam ivoḍupam darśanīyatamaṁ śyāmaṁ pīta-kauśeya-vāsasam
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī dit : Kālayavana vit le Seigneur sortir de Mathurā tel la lune qui se lève. Il était le plus beau à contempler : teint bleu sombre, vêtu de soie jaune ; sur sa poitrine brillait la marque de Śrīvatsa, et à son cou resplendissait le joyau Kaustubha. Ses quatre bras étaient robustes et longs ; ses yeux, rosés comme de jeunes lotus ; son visage, un lotus, avec des joues lumineuses, un sourire pur et des boucles d’oreilles en forme de makara étincelantes. Le barbare pensa : « C’est assurément Vāsudeva, car il porte les signes que Nārada a décrits : Śrīvatsa, quatre bras, yeux de lotus, guirlande de fleurs de la forêt, et beauté incomparable ; nul autre ne peut l’être. Puisqu’il marche à pied et sans armes, je combattrai sans armes. » Ayant ainsi résolu, il se lança à la poursuite du Seigneur qui, tournant le dos, s’enfuit ; Kālayavana espérait saisir Śrī Kṛṣṇa, que même les grands yogīs ne peuvent atteindre.
Although Kālayavana was seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa with his own eyes, he could not adequately appreciate the beautiful Lord. Thus instead of worshiping Kṛṣṇa, he attacked Him. Similarly, it is not uncommon for modern men to attack Kṛṣṇa in the name of philosophy, “law and order” and even religion.
FAQs
He misjudged Kṛṣṇa as an ordinary opponent and, thinking he could capture Him, pursued Him—unaware that the Lord is beyond the reach of material strength.
It means the Lord is “difficult to attain even for yogīs”—emphasizing that mere mystic practice cannot grasp Him without His grace and devotion (bhakti).
It teaches humility: spiritual advancement is not only about power or technique; sincere devotion and surrender are essential to truly approach the Divine.