Shloka 4
The Killing of Ariṣṭāsura and Kaṁsa’s Plot to Summon Kṛṣṇa
यस्य निर्ह्रादितेनाङ्ग निष्ठुरेण गवां नृणाम् । पतन्त्यकालतो गर्भा: स्रवन्ति स्म भयेन वै ॥ ३ ॥ निर्विशन्ति घना यस्य ककुद्यचलशङ्कया । तं तीक्ष्णशृङ्गमुद्वीक्ष्य गोप्यो गोपाश्च तत्रसु: ॥ ४ ॥
yasya nirhrāditenāṅga niṣṭhureṇa gavāṁ nṛṇām patanty akālato garbhāḥ sravanti sma bhayena vai
王よ、その無慈悲な咆哮の反響により、牛も人も恐怖に沈み、妊娠した牛や女たちは恐れのあまり流産した。彼のこぶを山と見誤って雲がまとわりつき、鋭い角の魔牛を見たゴーピーとゴーパは震え上がった。
The Vedic literature categorizes miscarriages as follows: Ā-caturthād bhavet srāvaḥ pātaḥ pañcama-ṣaṣṭhayoḥ/ ata ūrdhvaṁ prasūtiḥ syāt. “Up to the fourth month a premature delivery is called srāva, in the fifth and sixth months it is called pāta, and after this it is considered a birth ( prasūti ).”
FAQs
This verse describes the intense fear caused by Ariṣṭāsura’s harsh bellowing, setting the scene for Krishna’s protective intervention to restore safety in Vraja.
Śukadeva emphasizes the demon’s extreme cruelty and the terror he spread in Vṛndāvana, highlighting the urgency for Krishna to remove such a threat.
Fear can destabilize life and clarity; the Bhagavatam teaches taking shelter of Krishna—remembering His protection—when overwhelmed by threatening circumstances.