Shloka 22
Vyāsa’s Vision, the Power of Bhāgavatam, and the Arrest of Aśvatthāmā
अर्जुन उवाच कृष्ण कृष्ण महाबाहो भक्तानामभयङ्कर । त्वमेको दह्यमानानामपवर्गोऽसि संसृते: ॥ २२ ॥
arjuna uvāca kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahā-bāho bhaktānām abhayaṅkara tvam eko dahyamānānām apavargo ’si saṁsṛteḥ
Arjuna berkata: “Wahai Kṛṣṇa, wahai Mahābāhu! Engkaulah yang menanamkan keberanian tanpa takut dalam hati para bhakta. Mereka yang terbakar oleh derita saṁsāra hanya menemukan jalan pembebasan pada-Mu.”
Arjuna was aware of the transcendental qualities of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, as he had already experienced them during the Kurukṣetra War, in which both of them were present. Therefore, Arjuna’s version of Lord Kṛṣṇa is authoritative. Kṛṣṇa is almighty and is especially the cause of fearlessness for the devotees. A devotee of the Lord is always fearless because of the protection given by the Lord. Material existence is something like a blazing fire in the forest, which can be extinguished by the mercy of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The spiritual master is the mercy representative of the Lord. Therefore, a person burning in the flames of material existence may receive the rains of mercy of the Lord through the transparent medium of the self-realized spiritual master. The spiritual master, by his words, can penetrate into the heart of the suffering person and inject knowledge transcendental, which alone can extinguish the fire of material existence.
FAQs
This verse states that Krishna is abhayam-kara—the one who grants fearlessness specifically to His devotees, making Him their ultimate shelter amid danger and anxiety.
In the narrative context of Canto 1 Chapter 7, Arjuna turns to Krishna as the sole protector and liberator, acknowledging that only Krishna can free suffering beings from the burning distress of material existence.
When overwhelmed by fear, stress, or uncertainty, this verse guides one to seek steady refuge in Krishna through remembrance, prayer, and devotional practice, cultivating inner fearlessness and a liberation-oriented mindset.