Shloka 7
Kṛṣṇa Swallows the Forest Fire (Dāvāgni-līlā) and Restores the Herd
तत: समन्ताद्देवधूमकेतु- र्यदृच्छयाभूत् क्षयकृद् वनौकसाम् । समीरित: सारथिनोल्बणोल्मुकै- र्विलेलिहान: स्थिरजङ्गमान् महान् ॥ ७ ॥
tataḥ samantād dava-dhūmaketur yadṛcchayābhūt kṣaya-kṛd vanaukasām samīritaḥ sārathinolbaṇolmukair vilelihānaḥ sthira-jaṅgamān mahān
すると突然、四方を取り巻くように、天の煙彗のごとき大いなる山火事が現れ、森の生きものを滅ぼさんとした。風は御者のように火を駆り立て、恐ろしい火の粉が四方に飛び散り、その大火は動くものも動かぬものも、炎の舌で舐め尽くそうとした。
Just as Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and the cowherd boys were about to take their cows back home, the forest fire previously mentioned raged out of control and surrounded all of them.
FAQs
In this verse, a sudden, all-consuming forest fire threatens all living beings, setting the stage for Krishna’s protective role—showing that overwhelming dangers can arise unexpectedly, yet the Lord remains the ultimate shelter for those in His care.
He uses vivid imagery to convey the fire’s organized, unstoppable advance—intensified by wind—so the listener feels the urgency and understands the scale of danger surrounding Vraja.
Unexpected crises can spread quickly like wildfire; this verse encourages steadiness and taking shelter in the Divine through prayer, remembrance, and right action rather than panic.