Shloka 29
Rāsa-līlā Begins; Divine Multiplication; Moral Doubt and Its Resolution
श्रीशुक उवाच धर्मव्यतिक्रमो दृष्ट ईश्वराणां च साहसम् । तेजीयसां न दोषाय वह्ने: सर्वभुजो यथा ॥ २९ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca dharma-vyatikramo dṛṣṭa īśvarāṇāṁ ca sāhasam tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya vahneḥ sarva-bhujo yathā
श्रीशुक उवाच—ईश्वराणां यत् किञ्चिद् धर्मव्यतिक्रमवत् साहसं दृश्यते, तत् तेजीयसां दोषाय न भवति; यथा वह्निः सर्वभुजः सर्वं ग्रसित्वापि न मलिनो भवति।
Great, potent personalities are not ruined by an apparent transgression of moral principles. Śrīdhara Svāmī mentions the examples of Brahmā, Indra, Soma, Viśvāmitra and others. A fire devours all that is fed into it but the fire does not change its nature. Similarly, a great personality does not fall from his position by an irregularity in behavior. In the following verse, however, Śukadeva Gosvāmī makes it clear that if we try to imitate the great personalities ruling the universe, the result will be catastrophic.
FAQs
This verse explains that even if the Lord’s actions appear to cross ordinary social or moral rules, He is never at fault because He is supremely powerful and transcendental—like fire that remains pure while consuming anything.
In the Rāsa-līlā narration, Parīkṣit’s doubt naturally arises about dharma; Śukadeva clarifies that the Lord’s pastimes cannot be judged by mundane standards, since the Supreme is never conditioned or contaminated.
Do not imitate divine actions or justify personal impulses as “spiritual.” Instead, follow dharma sincerely, and approach Krishna’s pastimes with reverence, understanding the Lord’s transcendence and our responsibility as conditioned souls.