Shloka 43
Kuntī’s Prayers and the Neutralization of the Brahmāstra
Uttarā Protected; Yudhiṣṭhira’s Grief Begins
श्रीकृष्ण कृष्णसख वृष्ण्यृषभावनिध्रुग् राजन्यवंशदहनानपवर्गवीर्य । गोविन्द गोद्विजसुरार्तिहरावतार योगेश्वराखिलगुरो भगवन्नमस्ते ॥ ४३ ॥
śrī-kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa-sakha vṛṣṇy-ṛṣabhāvani-dhrug- rājanya-vaṁśa-dahanānapavarga-vīrya govinda go-dvija-surārti-harāvatāra yogeśvarākhila-guro bhagavan namas te
ഹേ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണാ, ഹേ കൃഷ്ണസഖാ (അർജുനസുഹൃത്ത്), ഹേ വൃഷ്ണിവംശശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! ഭൂമിയിൽ കലഹം വിതയ്ക്കുന്ന രാജന്യവംശങ്ങളെ ദഹിപ്പിക്കുന്നവനും, ക്ഷയമില്ലാത്ത വീര്യശക്തിയുള്ളവനും നീയാകുന്നു. ഹേ ഗോവിന്ദാ! ഗോകൾ, ബ്രാഹ്മണർ, ഭക്തർ എന്നിവരുടെ ദുഃഖം ഹരിക്കാനായി നീ അവതരിക്കുന്നു. ഹേ യോഗേശ്വരാ, അഖിലഗുരോ, ഹേ ഭഗവൻ—നമസ്കാരം.
A summary of the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is made herein by Śrīmatī Kuntīdevī. The almighty Lord has His eternal transcendental abode where He is engaged in keeping surabhi cows. He is served by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune. He descends to the material world to reclaim His devotees and to annihilate the disturbing elements in groups of political parties and kings who are supposed to be in charge of administration work. He creates, maintains and annihilates by His unlimited energies, and still He is always full with prowess and does not deteriorate in potency. The cows, the brāhmaṇas and the devotees of the Lord are all objects of His special attention because they are very important factors for the general welfare of living beings.
FAQs
This verse praises Krishna as Govinda and as the avatāra who removes the distress of cows, brāhmaṇas, and the devas, and as the upholder of the earth who relieves its burden.
Kuntī remembers Krishna’s intimate friendship with Arjuna (addressed as Kṛṣṇa), highlighting the Lord’s loving closeness to His devotees even while being the Supreme Lord.
By approaching Krishna as the ultimate guide—seeking direction through devotion, scripture, and sincere practice—one learns to act with humility, protect dharma, and aim life toward liberation (apavarga).