Shloka 42
Vasudeva and Devakī Glorify Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; The Recovery of Devakī’s Six Sons from Sutala
दैत्यदानवगन्धर्वा: सिद्धविद्याध्रचारणा: । यक्षरक्ष:पिशाचाश्च भूतप्रमथनायका: ॥ ४१ ॥ विशुद्धसत्त्वधाम्न्यद्धा त्वयि शास्त्रशरीरिणि । नित्यं निबद्धवैरास्ते वयं चान्ये च तादृशा: ॥ ४२ ॥ केचनोद्बद्धवैरेण भक्त्या केचन कामत: । न तथा सत्त्वसंरब्धा: सन्निकृष्टा: सुरादय: ॥ ४३ ॥
daitya-dānava-gandharvāḥ siddha-vidyādhra-cāraṇāḥ yakṣa-rakṣaḥ-piśācāś ca bhūta-pramatha-nāyakāḥ
మీరు విశుద్ధ-సత్త్వ ధామము, మీ దివ్య స్వరూపమే శాస్త్రాల సాక్షాత్ శరీరము; అయినా నిత్యం మీపై వైరం కట్టుకున్నవారు—వారు, మేము మరియు మాకు సమానమైన ఇతరులు—చివరకు మీవైపు ఆకర్షితులయ్యారు।
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī explains this passage as follows: The Gandharvas, Siddhas, Vidyādharas and Cāraṇas are adversaries of the Supreme Lord when they follow the lead of the Daitya and Dānava demons. The Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Piśācas and so on tend to be inimical because they are generally covered by ignorance. There are some rascals in the pure mode of ignorance, like Śiśupāla and Pauṇḍraka, who are totally absorbed in meditation on the Lord as their enemy, and this fixed consciousness earns them liberation. Others, in a mixed condition of passion and ignorance, associate with the Lord with a desire for position and prestige; Mahārāja Bali sees himself as belonging to this category. Yet Lord Viṣṇu favored Bali by becoming his doorkeeper in the subterranean region of Sutala, just as He favored the demons by killing and liberating them, and the Gandharvas by engaging them in singing His glories. On the other hand, the Lord awards sense gratification to those demigods who are proud of their being situated in the mode of goodness; thus they become deluded and forget Him.
FAQs
They are various classes of celestial and subterranean beings—demigod-like groups (Gandharvas, Siddhas, Vidyādharas, Cāraṇas) and spirit/demonic groups (Daityas, Dānavas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Piśācas, Bhūtas, Pramathas) described as present in the narrative scene.
To convey the vast, universe-spanning scope of the event being narrated—showing that many orders of beings were involved or present, emphasizing the grandeur of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes.
It reminds a reader that reality includes many levels of existence beyond the human sphere, encouraging humility and a broadened spiritual worldview centered on the Lord’s supremacy.