Bhṛgu Tests the Trimūrti; Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna Visit Mahā-Viṣṇu and Recover the Brāhmaṇa’s Sons
विप्रापत्यमचक्षाणस्तत ऐन्द्रीमगात् पुरीम् । आग्नेयीं नैऋर्तीं सौम्यां वायव्यां वारुणीमथ । रसातलं नाकपृष्ठं धिष्ण्यान्यन्यान्युदायुध: ॥ ४३ ॥ ततोऽलब्धद्विजसुतो ह्यनिस्तीर्णप्रतिश्रुत: । अग्निं विविक्षु: कृष्णेन प्रत्युक्त: प्रतिषेधता ॥ ४४ ॥
viprāpatyam acakṣāṇas tata aindrīm agāt purīm āgneyīṁ nairṛtīṁ saumyāṁ vāyavyāṁ vāruṇīm atha rasātalaṁ nāka-pṛṣṭhaṁ dhiṣṇyāny anyāny udāyudhaḥ
そこにブラーフマナの子が見当たらないため、アルジュナはインドラ、アグニ、ニルリティ、ソーマ、ヴァーユ、ヴァルナの都へ赴いた。武器を整え、ラサータラの底から天の頂まで宇宙のあらゆる領域を捜し回った。だがどこにも二生者の子は見つからず、誓いを果たせぬまま、彼は聖火に入ろうとした。その瞬間、主シュリー・クリシュナが制して言葉を告げた。
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī comments that Arjuna trusted Lord Śiva implicitly as his guru, and so he did not bother to search out Lord Śiva’s celestial abode.
Because he could not locate the brāhmaṇa’s missing son on earth, Arjuna searched successively through major deva-realms and even nether regions, exhausting extraordinary means to fulfill his promise.
The verse highlights the limitation of even heroic, empowered effort—without Kṛṣṇa’s sanction and guidance, one may not reach what lies beyond ordinary cosmic jurisdictions.
Do your duty with full effort, but remain humble and prayerful—recognizing that final outcomes rest with the Lord, and turning to Kṛṣṇa when strength and strategy are not enough.