Shloka 18
Aghāsura-vadha: The Killing and Deliverance of Aghāsura
दृष्ट्वा तं तादृशं सर्वे मत्वा वृन्दावनश्रियम् । व्यात्ताजगरतुण्डेन ह्युत्प्रेक्षन्ते स्म लीलया ॥ १८ ॥
dṛṣṭvā taṁ tādṛśaṁ sarve matvā vṛndāvana-śriyam vyāttājagara-tuṇḍena hy utprekṣante sma līlayā
ఆ దైత్యుని అజగరసదృశమైన అద్భుత రూపాన్ని చూసి గోపబాలులందరూ దానిని వృందావనశ్రీయైన అందమైన దృశ్యస్థలమని భావించారు. తరువాత అతని విప్పిన నోటిని అజగరముఖంలా ఊహించి, భయంలేక లీలగా ఆడుకున్నారు.
Some of the boys, upon seeing this wonderful phenomenon, thought that it was in fact a python, and they were fleeing from the spot. But others said, “Why are you fleeing? It is not possible that a python like this is staying here. This is a spot of beauty for sporting.” This is what they imagined.
FAQs
This verse shows the cowherd boys treating a potentially deadly sight as mere play, because in Vṛndāvana under Kṛṣṇa’s presence even danger is transformed into līlā.
They saw an extraordinary form and, assuming it was part of Vṛndāvana’s wondrous scenery, imagined it as a gaping-mouthed serpent—an innocent, playful misreading of a hidden threat.
It teaches cultivating trust in Bhagavān’s protection: with steady bhakti, fear lessens and challenges are met with composure rather than panic.