Shloka 24
Garuḍa, Saubhari’s Curse, Kāliya’s Refuge, and Kṛṣṇa Saves Vraja from Forest Fire
सुदुस्तरान्न: स्वान् पाहि कालाग्ने: सुहृद: प्रभो । न शक्नुमस्त्वच्चरणं सन्त्यक्तुमकुतोभयम् ॥ २४ ॥
su-dustarān naḥ svān pāhi kālāgneḥ suhṛdaḥ prabho na śaknumas tvac-caraṇaṁ santyaktum akuto-bhayam
सुदुस्तरान्नः स्वान् पाहि कालाग्नेः सुहृदः प्रभो । न शक्नुमस्त्वच्चरणं सन्त्यक्तुमकुतोभयम् ॥
The residents of Vṛndāvana told Kṛṣṇa, “If this deadly fire overcomes us, we will be separated from Your lotus feet, and this is unbearable for us. Therefore, just so that we can go on serving Your lotus feet, please protect us.”
FAQs
This verse says the devotees cannot give up Krishna’s lotus feet because His shelter grants “akuto-bhaya”—fearlessness from all directions—making surrender the safest refuge amid danger and uncertainty.
In the Krishna-līlā setting, they perceive overwhelming danger and helplessness, so they appeal to Krishna as their intimate well-wisher, asking Him to protect them from inevitable destruction symbolized as the blazing force of Time.
The verse advises choosing a stable spiritual anchor—remembering and serving Krishna, and returning to His shelter—so that external upheavals (time, loss, uncertainty) do not uproot one’s inner courage and direction.